Take My Hand
by Havenly
Summary: Something happens to Hermione leaving her in a horrible predicament. Some Slytherin's aren't exactly what they seem and will one help her through the school year? After OotP. M for language and light sensuality.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Take My Hand  
Couple: Draco/Hermione  
Rating: M  
Disclaimer: I do not own these wonderful characters, I just play with them.  
Author's Note: I hope this isn't crappy. Please enjoy! The next chapter should be up soon. =)

**Chapter 1**

_August 5th, 1996_

Draco Malfoy sat there, leaning back on his palms with his feet jutted out before him, his long legs stretched out. The blades of grass tickled the flesh of his fingers and hands to the point that he grew itchy, but he didn't move. Instead he tilted his face up to the sky, his blonde eyelashes camouflaged with his pale skin, eye closed as the sun beat down on his face. The sounds of laughing voices and splashing water filled his ear drums, but he wasn't focusing on it too closely. His mind deep in the recesses of his thoughts. Thinking over the beginning of summer. When he had been given his mission. His mother's worry had been endearing, and with his father in jail she never had to worry about getting backhanded for speaking her mind. But, now she was dead, wasn't she? His mother. The one person who ever truly cared for him and loved him. She was gone. All because she'd made an Unbreakable Vow, for him. He, of course, blamed Snape. If he hadn't agreed to his Aunt Bellatrix's taunting words, his mother would be alive. Maybe he wouldn't be, because he was sure that he would have failed his mission. Even with being under the Imperius. But, his mother would have thrived and flourished.

A laughing shriek brought him out of his thoughts and he looked towards the lake, his lips tugging into the slightest expression of humor at the three people playing in the shallows of the Black lake where the residents of the murky waters couldn't reach them. It was amazing to see them actually happy. For almost six years they'd been nothing but puppets to their vindictive fathers. Made to think and say things that, once set free from the spell, they found they really didn't believe. Blood purity? Really? It was just a joke. Especially as Voldemort was nothing but a halfbreed anyways. In the eyes of their father's they were purebloods. But, really with the things they did, how they went about to be superior to those of halfblood or muggleborn ancestry, the purebloods really were the ones who had dirt running through their veins. At least those of the evil kind, those that wanted to maim and kill people just because they weren't _pure_.

Draco laughed and shook his head when Pansy waved and yelled for him to join them in the cool water. And then he ducked his head in laughter when Blaise and Theo tackled her into the water. They were his family now, weren't they? They were the only ones left who truly cared about him and really knew him. Gregory and Vincent, they took after their fathers. After they'd put on some big mans pants, they decided that they were just the type who could live through all the blood and murder they shed. But them, the ones who were currently laughing and splashing each other in the lake, they weren't cold-blooded killers. They had hearts and feelings that ran as deep as any ocean. He did too, for that matter. He still might be a dick at times, but deep down he could feel with the best of them.

Once again lost in his thoughts, the one that that brought him out and had him jumping to his feet in a fighting stance was the blood curdling scream of Pansy. He looked around frantically, seeing her standing their still with a hand over her mouth, eyes as wide as a cauldron. Blaise and Theo looking much the same, all of their gazed looking past him and to something he could only sense as horrible. Spinning around, his own eyes grew a couple sizes larger at the horrific sight before him.

Professor Snape stood there, his black robes making him ever the bat of the Slytherin dungeons, but it wasn't necessarily him that was the scary sight. The blood that trickled down the mans robes wasn't much a sight either, but it was the girl that laid in his arms. Her bloody hair matted to her face, her arms and legs fresh with cuts that looked as if she had been severely scratched by a human hand. The thought of fingernails actually doing this to a person, had acid climbing up his throat.

"What are you just standing there for, you insufferable half-wits!" Snape hissed, and it wasn't until his head of house spoke that he noticed the man wasn't in such good shape himself. He might hate the man, but it didn't stop him from running forward and taking the beaten creature in his arms, while the older man almost sank to the ground, if it weren't for Blaise and Theo running up and helping him. "Take her to the hospital wing, Draco. Miss Parkinson, get Professor Dumbledore," when no one moved, as Draco was too shocked by this sudden change, Snape bellowed out a loud 'now'!

It wasn't long before Draco burst into the hospital wing in a sprint. "Madam Pomfrey!" he yelled as he laid the girl out on a cot and then backed away nervously as the nurse came, gasping before she hurried forward.

"Oh, my," she said, waving her wand to situate the girl, and then began casting healing spells. "Who is this girl?" she asked, and before Draco could tell her he didn't know, the girls hair moved out of her face. He felt as if he'd been punched in the gut, the girl he'd taunted and teased for almost six years laid there bloody and bruised. Madam Pomfrey was quick to shove him out of the way and bring a curtain around the cot, muttering something about privacy and dignity.

_Granger?_

_**/-/-/-/**_

_August 13th, 1996_

They had all been thoughtful for the past week. Draco hadn't spoken of what happened, but he sure thought about it a lot. And he knew the others did as well. They shared looks whenever they saw Professor Snape or Dumbledore.

Every night Draco hovered around the hospital wing, the first couple days it had been silent, but then he heard the ranking sobs from inside. And Madam Pomfrey would poke her head out and tell her she was fine. But, her words weren't ever soothing when he heard the despair coming from behind those doors.

It was a nice morning at breakfast, and Theo and Blaise were talking about playing Quidditch. Of course, he knew it was only a ruse to get their minds off of the Granger girl. There talk suddenly went quiet and he followed their gaze over his shoulder to see Professor McGonagall slowly walking to their table, with a form close behind her.

Her hair was clear of blood, bushy and brown, and it was clear she hadn't run a brush through it that morning. Her body was covered with baggy clothes, jeans and a large gray sweatshirt. She was pale, paler that Draco and that didn't seem at all healthy. It was her eyes that struck him the most, those know-it-all eyes that always had life sparkling behind them were now dull and hollow. Lifeless, she quiet literally look like the walking dead.

He noticed how her body stiffened when she saw them, how her eyes flickered with a bit of apprehension. She flinched when McGonagall placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Miss Granger," the older women told her, her usual strict tone soft for the other girl. The professor didn't move until Hermione finally took a seat a couple feet away from them, then the head of Gryffindor left to join the other professors at the staff table.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her, he knew it wasn't right to stare, but he couldn't help watching her every move. She sat still for a long time, her back straight as a rod, her eyes lost in the mahogany of the table, hair hiding her face from view. It wasn't until a plate of breakfast appeared before her that she actually moved. Slowly she grabbed her fork and began to eat, taking small bites.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_August 17th, 1996_

The four Slytherin's saw more and more of Granger as the days passed, and each time she looked as distraught as the last. Whether she ate meals, was seen studying in the library, or sat out at the lake staring into the water like it would swallow her up in it's murky abyss. They all watched her closely, and they knew she noticed them. But, no one spoke. Not them. Not her.

Draco was walking the corridors of the third floor, lost in his own mind when he felt the impact of running right into another form. He heard her squeak of surprise, and before she could fall, his hands shot out to steady her, one on her hip the other at the base of her elbow.

She was as stiff as a board when she looked into his eyes, with her own widening slowly. _Realizing who I am_... he thought sadly.

"Sorry, Granger," he said, letting his hands fall back to his sides now that she wasn't in danger of falling over.

She just stared at him, wrapping her arms around herself. It was like she was waiting for the insult, she was expecting it. "See you at lunch," he told her, with a small nod of his head, before he turned and walked away.

**_/-/-/-/_**

Hermione watched as his blond hair disappeared as he turned a corner and then she was left staring down the corridor, alone. Since the moment she first saw all of them in the Great Hall she was surprised. She'd expected being accosted, sitting at their table. But she only felt their stares.

It was unsettling, it almost made her skin crawl being under such inspection. Were they waiting for the right moment? Did they want to get her alone? Surely they wanted to finish the job their Death Eater role models started. But, then why did Malfoy just leave her. And where was his overly exaggerated insult? He had to know what happened to her. Why wasn't he toying with her? Why weren't any of them toying with her? Why weren't making fun of the fact she was now an orphan? Why didn't they loudly wonder if she enjoyed being underneath their masked brothers?

Their silence, their looks, it was almost as if they were different people.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Here's chapter two. I'm going to ease into Hermione/Draco. I don't want to just rush into it. But, it will come soon, I promise. I hope you enjoy this.

**Chapter 2**

_August 18th, 1996_

She sat up with a gasp, her hands frantically searching for her wand as she breathed heavily. When her fingers finally curled around the 10 ¾ inches of vine wood, she whispered '_lumos_' and waved her arm around to check the room, making sure there wasn't anyone in the shadows. When she found all that was there were a bunch of neatly maid beds untouched from the emptiness of summer, she sank back into her pillows and closed her eyes with a small sigh. She could still feel his touch. Only one of them actually stooped so low as to touch her mudblood skin. The rest were content on just torturing her, but not him. No, he really wanted her to suffer. Killing her parents just hadn't been enough, he had to invade her body too.

She took a couple deep breaths, flicking her wand and silently giving the counter-spell, so the room was once again covered in darkness. She reached for the bedside table and grabbed the vial of Calming Draught, it was given more for her depression than anything.

Once she felt her nerves relax she threw the covers off and got out of bed, stretching her hands over her head and listening to her back pop. She opened the curtains and looked out to the rising sun. _A new day, Hermione_, she told herself, but it didn't do an ounce of good. Another day she lived, another day her parents were dead.

She moved herself to the bathroom, getting a warm shower, and scrubbing herself down until her skin was pink and almost bleeding from her roughness with the sponge. All the scratches and bruises had faded with Madam Pomfrey's spells, but no spell could take away the dirtiness she felt, and she had a feeling she would always feel his touch, no mater how much she washed herself. Would she ever feel clean again?

By the time she was dressed it was breakfast, and Professor McGonagall waited for her in the Gryffindor common room. Since the day she started milling about her head of house had been escorting her to meals. As if she would throw herself down a flight of stairs or something if she wasn't under supervision. She was depressed and sad, sure. But, did she want to kill herself? Truth be told, she didn't know yet.

McGonagall didn't leave her until she was sat down, a good couple feet from the other four students that were currently walking about Hogwarts. And for the first time she wondered what they were doing there. It was summer, why weren't they in their mansions celebrating the new marks on their arms that linked them to the most vile man on earth? There were so many other questions, but was she really brave enough to ask?

When a plate of food and a glass of pumpkin juice appeared she slowly began to pick and sip. Small bites, chew slowly, swallow... It was like a mantra in her head so her mind wouldn't wander.

She grew tense when a girl sat opposite her. Pansy Parkinson offered a shy smile as she sat down, placing her book on the table and scooting it away when a plate appeared before the raven haired girl. Hermione grew confused and she was sure it showed on her face. She remembered, quite well, a time when Parkinson would call her a 'filthy mudblood' and she would return with an insult of her own, mostly 'pug face'.

"Hi," Pansy greeted quietly, taking a sip of pumpkin juice, then nibbling on a corner of toast as she opened her book and began to read while she enjoyed her breakfast.

Hermione looked around the Great Hall, the three Slytherin boys were looking towards them oddly, and she was once again surprised to see their faces sneer-less. A glance to the staff table and a small smile from Dumbledore, had her returning to her meal silently. She noticed though, that the book Pansy read, was a muggle story. One of her favorites as well. Pride and Prejudice.

The rest of the day went rather uneventful. Besides the fact that Pansy sat with her at both lunch and dinner too. Each time, she was greeted with a soft 'hi' and a smile. And each time the smile made Hermione wonder.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_August 19th, 1996_

The next morning breakfast resumed as it had the day before, Hermione had company. Pansy never talked besides a friendly greeting. She just ate her meal and resumed her reading. It was odd, but Hermione strangely felt comforted with the other female's presence. She didn't feel so lonely. That didn't mean she would begin to speak to her though. No, no, she wouldn't do that.

Hermione ate in silence, as usual. Her eyes drifting over things without much importance to her gaze. Movement from across the table caught her gaze and she watched as Pansy pushed up her shirt sleeves. Her eyes immediately zoomed in on her left arm. She had been expecting that god awful tattoo of a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth, but what her sight was met with was nothing but clear skin.

Hermione slowly stood up and left the table, confusion written all over her face as she trudged her way to the library.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione's arms were getting heavy from all the books she carried in her arms. All of them Defense Against the Dark Arts materials. She felt that maybe she should brush up on the subject. Maybe, it would help. _It won't take away what happened though_, she thought and closed her eyes as she rounded a corner. Her mind twirled as her feet walked her straight into somebody, the books she carried falling to the floor with loud thuds and wisps as some books opened from the fall.

She looked to the person she'd rudely bumped into, only to see Blaise Zabini, leaning over and picking her books up. "Sorry about that," he said, looking up with a bright smile.

Hermione just stared at him for a moment. Blaise had never called her a mudblood, he'd never insinuated anything wrong about her blood status since she'd known him. Sure, they never talked before. But, for a Slytherin, Blaise had always kept his insults to himself, usually just mimicking Malfoy's sneer. "No, um," she cleared her throat. Was that really her voice? She hadn't talked in so long, her voice sounded as if she had eaten a bowl of gravel for breakfast. With a hand on her neck she cleared her throat once more. "No, it was my fault," she said, and for her voice being so strangely rough, it came out hesitantly soft.

Blaise stood up with the load of tombs, nearly dropping them before he situated them right and flashed Hermione another grin. "The bookworm getting lost in her books again, hm?" he asked, his tone a little on the teasing side.

Hermione didn't know she was smiling until Blaise's eyes widened and she immediately frowned and grabbed her books from him. Making her way over to a table and dropping the large texts on the willow surface. She pulled a chair out and took a seat, not fretting and getting engrossed with the first book of the pile, her hair falling and framing her face from view. She could smile. No, it wasn't her time to smile. Not yet.

Blaise had been very shocked. The times he'd seen the Granger girl her face was nothing but an expressionless mask that rivaled even Draco's at times. Seeing her smile, her lips actually quirk into something that wasn't a straight line. It was a big change from what he'd seen from her lately. He new Draco worried about her. And before summer began he would have wondered if his best friend was completely barmy, but so much had changed. He was no longer compelled to think like his Death Eater mother. None of them were compelled at all. No, he was free. Just as Draco, Pansy and Theo were.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews. I hope you got the replies. Once again, just so we're all clear if people are getting antsy with the lack of Draco, it WILL come along. Please be patient and keep reading, because this is a Draco/Hermione story. But, I'm trying to build a bit, before I get there. I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter, though! This one is a tad longer, which I'm extremely proud of.

**Chapter 3**

_August 20th, 1996_

The next day Hermione's breakfast and lunch resumed with Pansy in tow. But, dinner become a whole new thing when Blaise Zabini joined them, sitting next to Pansy. And this time their side of the table wasn't so quiet as it had always been. Pansy's book sat aside, while the two Slytherin's talked about everything under the sun. Hermione just listened in, and noticed that the two of them were almost normal. They talked about much of the same things as her Harry and Ron did, aside from Quidditch. Hermione wasn't a Quidditch fan and it seemed Pansy wasn't either, because she had shot Blaise a look when he began to get into that subject.

When dessert came Blaise went back over to the other two Slytherin boys. Most likely to get some testosterone time and to talk of all things Quidditch. When Hermione looked up from her slice of pie, Pansy smiled at her and grabbed her book while she forked some cinnamon apples onto her utensil, flipping through the pages to find her spot.

After her pie dish had disappeared, Hermione headed for the library. Where else would she go? It was a Hogwarts summer. No curfew. No other students besides those four Slytherins. So, the library was the perfect place to lose her head for a while. Maybe this time, she could find herself stuck in a novel rather than a textbook.

It wasn't easy prying herself away from self-defense against the Dark Arts books, and before she new it the vampire novel was thrown aside and her head was stuck in all the defensive spells and the right wand movements in which to perform them correctly. Her empty hand raised every so often to demonstrate for herself, before turning the page.

She had been so focused, she didn't notice when the older wizard had come near her table and taken a seat before her. Jumping at the sound of his voice clearing, but the fear in her eyes hadn't stayed long when she caught sight of his long silver beard and those twinkling eyes behind the half-moon spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose.

"Professor Dumbledore?" she asked, her heavy breaths from the surprise of his just miraculously showing up slowing, as she sat up straighter and took in the wizard before her.

"Hello, Miss Granger," he said, and she looked away when she detected the pity in his eyes. It was mortifying knowing that he knew what happened to her. "How have you been feeling, my dear?"

She was quiet for a long while, clearing her throat before she looked at him. "Fine, Professor," she told him. "I'm... I'm doing well, considering..."

A silence fell over them and Hermione gingerly leafed throughout the book in front of her. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley have asked of you," he spoke gently and Hermione glanced up quickly, her eyes almost scrutinizing him. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley didn't know what to tell them about you not being at the Burrow so, I have told them that with the times it was safer for you to come to Hogwarts early, as you are a-"

"Mudblood?" Hermione asked with a small frown on her features, and acid in her tone.

"-Muggleborn, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, and looked at her, disapproving on her choice of word. "And it's not my place to tell them of anything that has happened to you. When the school year starts and they arrive, it is your choice whether or not you would like to divulge the events of your summer."

Her teeth were grit tightly together, as she shook her head. She didn't want Harry or Ron to know. They couldn't find out. They would both lose their minds and run straight into something that's only outcome would be their deaths. And then who would she have to live for? She looked away from the table top, before she felt a hand rest over hers. She flinched, but didn't pull away. "You are the brightest witch I've ever known, Miss Granger. The strongest, too. You've willingly helped a boy whose destiny may be as dark as the days to come, and you have been through the most horrific situation, I cannot even fathom. I admire you greatly for your strength and your heart. And it would sadden me to see you spiral into the darkness of your own mind."

Those words had a greater impact than Hermione would have thought, sniffling a little and trying to control the tremble of her lip as she looked up to the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "Some things are not what they seem. But, there is always a light to triumph the dark," he told her, patting her hand lightly, before he stood and walked away, leaving Hermione there speechless as silent comforting tears ran down her cheeks.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_August 21st, 1996_

Once again it was breakfast and Hermione was enjoying some eggs and toast with a bit of jam to spice things up. She hadn't been able to get Dumbledore's words out of her mind and had spent most of her night sitting in the library thinking about them, once she'd stopped crying anyway.

Again Pansy and Blaise sat with her and talked about nonsense. They were thinking of going out to the lake the day after next, and planned to get Draco in the murky shores. But, Blaise was sure he would be a 'right ponce' and stay far from the water. It was when Blaise stood and placed a kiss on Pansy's cheek that Hermione actually made an expression. Her eyebrows raised slowly as she chewed up a bite of toast and watched the raven haired girls cheeks blush crimson. Then the boy looked to her and smiled with a "See you at lunch, Granger."

Hermione was quiet for a long time, eying the other girl as she immediately threw herself into her book. It was something that she noted, because it was something Hermione would have done. It seemed like hours later when Hermione finally spoke, words actually formed and came out of her mouth. "He seems nice," she said as she poked at her eggs.

Pansy's head snapped up in surprise to hear Hermione actually speak and she noticed the other girls voice seemed kinda hoarse. "Blaise is a very nice boy- man, um boy," she said stumbling for the right word.

At this Hermione's eyes shined a little in humor, though her mouth stayed in a straight line. She was quiet for a while longer. Turning to watched the Slytherin boys leave the Great Hall. "Everyone's being nice," she said, once again out of the blue. "It's odd. You Slytherin's being nice. No insults, no threats, it's nice," she spoke, her face looking off in a daze and she knew she probably resembled Luna Lovegood in that moment. She looked to Pansy then, questioningly. "Why?"

Pansy frowned when Hermione spoke again and she looked down to her book, closing it after she saved her page. "We are how we are," she spoke, and looked to the Gryffindor. "It's confusing, to explain why we are... as you say, nice. One could say we've changed."

Hermione looked skeptical. "All of you?" she asked, although she hadn't heard any seething remarks or insults from Nott and Malfoy, she wasn't quite sure they'd changed for the better.

Pansy looked a little hurt at that and she nodded. "Yes," she said and then stood, her plate disappearing as she took her book and made to leave, but before she did she looked back to Hermione. "We never meant to hurt you. We never meant to hurt anyone," she said quietly, before she left the Great Hall, with Hermione staring after her.

Dumbledore's words once again rang in her ears.

_**/-/-/-/**_

At lunch time, Hermione was in the library once again. Gazing over a textbook, only this time she was finishing her Transfiguration work that had been appointed over the summer. A two-foot long parchment on how to transfigure a inanimate object into an animate object. It wasn't that bad of a piece, as Transfiguration was one of Hermione's best subjects and it kept her mind off of other things. The beginning of summer, Pansy, Dumbledore, Harry and Ron... Her mind was actually wondering if a person who had seemed to be so spiteful with hate could truly reform...She also wondered what Harry and Ron would think of this little piece of thought. Her mind didn't over exaggerate when she saw her two best friends faces turn red with anger at the prospect.

A throat being cleared brought her out of her studies and she looked up, quirking a nicely shaped, bushy eyebrow. _What does he want? _The sight of Theodore Nott standing before her was a little unnerving and her shoulders tensed.

His dirty blonde hair stringy and his lanky form shifting slightly, almost like he was uncomfortable. "You're good in Transfiguration, right?" he asked, his cheeks flushing pink as he quickly looked to his shoes, obviously feeling the warmth flood to his cheeks and trying to hide it. He was embarrassed?

"Are you asking me for help?" Hermione asked, and she sat up a little. She hadn't been social lately, she knew that. But, was she really to turn down someone who needed help with school work?

"Well," he chuckled shyly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm bloody awful. And McGonagall keeps asking me if I've done the summer work. I've got charms down, and potions with Draco's help and Pansy and Blaise have helped with the rest, but they refuse to with Transfiguration and I was just wondering-"

"Okay," Hermione said simply, interrupting the boys babbling. He started to sound a little like Ron when he waited until the last minuted to do the work and asked for her help and usually just copied off of her... The little little redheaded ponce.

"Okay?" Theo asked, looking up in surprise. He didn't think she would agree to help him. But, she had hadn't she? "Really?" he asked, a little skeptical.

"Yes," Hermione said, slowly with a small nod of her help. "You need help. And Transfiguration is one of my best subjects, I have no objections with helping you, as long as you listen and actually do the work."

She watched as he nodded his head vigorously, and for a moment she wondered if it would pop off at the rate he was going, but he just clapped his hands together once. "Thank you!" he told her, and then after a moment he blushed again. "I really should get going. Uh, when should we study?"

"Tomorrow?" Hermione asked. "Um, maybe after lunch. That would probably be best, I'm busy after breakfast. Meet me here in the library," she told him, still watching him carefully.

"Sure, I can do that," he told her and then turned around to leave, but paused near a book case, his head turned towards her. "Thanks, Granger," he said and his voice sounded so sincere.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Hope you all got the replies! And I hope you enjoy this chapter. I only come with them so quickly because your reviews give me the encouragement to get another chapter out.

**Chapter 4**

_August 22nd, 1996_

Hermione waited patiently in the library after lunch. She hadn't spoken to Nott since he approached her yesterday, although she had seen him sitting with Malfoy during meals. For once, starting at breakfast she had joined in, in Blaise and Pansy's small talk, much to their surprise. And once again she spoke with them at lunch. It wasn't some big amazing feat. She just commented on a couple things, and when questions involved school she answered them. The exchanged smile of Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore went unnoticed to her, because she was too focused on how Pansy was suddenly very distant, her greeting smiles more half-hearted then they had been.

After lunch she had hurried to get to the library early so she could hand pick some of the books they needed to go through, depicting on what Nott's Transfiguration essay was on. She, at least, made sure she had a wide selection. Hermione was usually a patient person, Harry and Ron were her best friends after all, but looking down at her watch and seeing that it was almost three. Three in the afternoon? She'd been there for almost an hour. Lunch had been over at two and she'd been waiting for that little ponce of a Slytherin. Did he have no recollection of talking with her and setting a meeting to help his miserably happy arse with Transfiguration's?

She crossed her arms. She'd managed to think differently of both Pansy and Blaise. They no longer deemed to be threatening. She still wanted some answers, but she more or less trusted them. Maybe she was in between on the trusting, she wasn't sure, yet. So, maybe she should give Nott the same treatment. Maybe he got stuck doing something and was desperately trying to get away... Maybe the stairs changed on him and he was stuck on one of the floors... Maybe he forgot, took a nap, and was rushing to the library with realizing he's been a right dunderhead right at that very moment. Or maybe, he was outside laughing and playing in the lake?

Hermione had stood while she made excuses for him being so late, looking out one of the windows and spotting four figures. Three in the lake, one sitting out just beyond the sand on the grass. The blond hair distracted her for a moment, but then she saw that lanky form splashing Pansy and Blaise and she glared through the glass. If looks could kill, Nott would be ready to be placed six feet under in a pine box. She grabbed her Transfiguration text heatedly and stormed out of the library.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco once again sat near the lakes shores watching his friends with a guarded smile as they splashed each other. They had once again tried to get him to come in, but truth be told, he wasn't much of a swimmer. Didn't really like being wet, maybe because it brought back memories of his father holding him under the water of a bathtub when he was younger. Childhood trauma, it was called, or something like that. Anyway, he was just fine watching his friends, they enjoyed themselves without him actually joining in.

His head turned slightly when he saw something out of the corner of his eyes moving swiftly towards them. Like a bull charging, the girl's face was red with frustrated anger, and her arms swung at her sides as she hurried towards the lake, the book in her hand looking like it would be handled like a weapon instead of reading material.

She then paused, ten or so feet away from him, and his show of surprise at seeing her like this was quickly masked when he followed her gaze to the three in the lake. Looking back to her he noticed the color fading her cheeks, and her shoulders slowly relax. He had to wonder what she was thinking. She'd been such an emotionless wreck, and it seemed she was slowly coming out of her cocoon of misery as he saw her interacting with Pansy and Blaise that morning and then again at lunch. She hadn't smiled, but their was a spark in her eyes when she had spoken to his friends. Maybe hope of getting past whatever it had been she'd been through.

He got a sudden flash of seeing her bloody body in Professor Snape's arms. Of him rushing her to Madam Pomfrey and then getting kicked out. He'd been to the hospital wing every day until she woke up and he heard her gut wrenching sobs. Then the medi-witch had told him she'd be fine, but seeing her afterward, he knew she was everything but fine. She had such fire before that summer, even though he had been under the Imperius he could see it and remember it to this day. And it seemed that raging fire was now only a flickering flame. But, he did see a flash of it in that moment she came storming towards the lake.

Now, she seemed almost wistful. Maybe she wished she could be so carefree as the ones who played in the water. Maybe, like himself, she'd been through too much that she needed to guard herself from ever getting hurt again... _Maybe_, he mentally scoffed.

When a couple minutes passed, Draco finally spoke. "Are you going to sit, or keep staring stupidly out at them?"she asked, wishing maybe he could have thought of his words before he spoke them. _Oh, yes, Draco, way to go._

She jumped at the sound of his voice and looked to him as if she'd just then noticed he was sitting there. Any emotion on her face quickly dissolving. She didn't utter a single word, just looked away from him, putting up extra walls. Most likely because it was him. Draco Malfoy, the boy who'd bullied her throughout school non-stop. Could he really apologize, explain that it hadn't really been him saying all those things? That it was his father controlling every move he made? That fucking son of a prejudice bitch... His hands fisted tightly, his nails piercing the palms of his pale hands at the very thought of his murderous father.

He had to look away from the Granger girl because he knew he was all but glaring now, and she didn't deserve such a look. Because even though he was free with his mind and body, she was still a better person than him. He was still a dick. His friends even told him so, and what kind of friends would they be if they weren't truthful?

"Nott was supposed to meet me in the library," she spoke, her voice as thin and to the point, she would have made Snape proud, had the git been around.

"Oh?" Draco asked, his surprise at her actually talking to _him_ expertly masked. "I'm surprised he didn't meet you, he's needed to get laid."

He heard her incredulous gasp and turned his head to look at her, his glare gone and his face aloof. He noticed her cheeks flushing in rage and the fire behind her eyes flickered dangerously. "We were not... I would never... I was going to help him with his Transfiguration summer work, y-you insufferable prat!" she spat and got to her feet before storming back towards the castle. He looked after her and his surprise at seeing her so alive in that moment was hard to hide. His lips slowly turning into an amused smirk.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione had gone straight to Gryffindor tower after she'd stormed away from Malfoy, that little ponce. He deserved a right kick in the arse, he did! She couldn't believe the nerve he had to assume such a thing. That she would be like that, especially not after she'd been... Her pacing stopped and she looked towards the flame-less fireplace. Slowly she sat into the plush couch and stared into the dark ash. Hands resting on her knees, her nails digging through her jeans and into her flesh. Her body rocked as she closed her eyes and tried to forget. Oh, how she wished she could. But his body and his touch was still so fresh in her mind. The pain... God, the pain and humiliation. She hadn't left her burnt house with any dignity at all. Parents dead, and her innocence gone. He wanted her to scream for help, and she had screamed. He wanted her to beg for mercy, she did that too but he only laughed and got rougher.

She jumped to her feet. No, she was going to stop it right there. She wasn't going to sink into the darkness of her mind, because that was nearly what could have happened. She needed to get stronger, she needed her courage back. She needed her life back, for Godric's sake.

She moved down to dinner with a determined force in her step. But, then her body slowed as her mind hesitated on just what she was going to do. She was scared, but she needed to be brave. She took a deep breath and entered the Great Hall seeing Pansy there at their spot and all the boys over where they usually sat. She slowly came up to Pansy, and the girl threw her a half-hearted smile. Hermione just sat down and watched as a plate of food appeared. Pansy was lost in her book and it took a moment for Hermione to gather her courage.

"Pansy," she began and looked to the other girl. The raven haired Slytherin look at her, brows raised at being addressed and that usual surprise she saw whenever she spoke to someone. "I wanted to apologize..." she said quietly, she had the distinct urge to duck her head and fork her food around the plate, but she kept her eyes on Pansy. _Courage, Hermione, courage_. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I'm just not used to such change, and I really don't mean to be... well, mean..." she said and she hoped she looked and sounded sincere, because in her heart she was.

Pansy was quiet for a moment, her lips parted as if to say something, but too shock to find the words. At this, Hermione did duck her head and began pushing her food around her plate nervously. "I accept your apology." Hermione looked up quickly and saw Pansy smiling at her, and instinctively... she smile back.

But the friendly moment was interrupted when Theodore Nott sat down heavily next to her and Hermione scooted away a little and looked at him with a small glare. "Oh, my god, Granger, I completely forgot about our study session! I'm such a ponce!" he said with wide eyes and began to babble about how he got distracted.

Hermione looked to Pansy, and both girls shook their head at each other, their lips gently curved in understanding of each other.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: I want to thank everyone for their reviews! I'm glad you like my story, and I hope you like somewhat long chapters because this one is! I'm proud! Can you sense my pride! Anywho, this is kind of a sad chapter, as I was tearing up while writing it... There's a bit Theo/Hermione in this, but I shall remind you all, this is Draco/Hermione story and they shall happen. I promise!

**Chapter 5**

_August 27th, 1996_

For the past couple of days, Hermione's life grew more relaxant. The memories of her summer seeming to be gone, logged into a far corner part of her brain where they stayed. Of course, she had her mind busy at all times, which helped keep those terrible memories away. Helping Nott with his essay was going smoothly. At first she had been surprised of his lack in knowledge of Transfiguration. She wondered how he even passed his OWLs, and she even voiced her concerns aloud. To which, the lanky boy sheepishly admitted he hadn't and that McGonagall was giving him another chance to pass with this essay. The 23rd of August had been the worst of their studying, as she had to teach him all the basics of 4th and 5th years Transfigurations, as he was only at a lowly 3rd level. And although it was a little stressing, it was far better explaining thing to Nott than to Harry and Ron. Which her two best friends would have grown frustrated and given up, Nott stuck through and when he had questions he asked rather than blowing up at his lack of knowing.

As days passed, she interacted more with the Slytherin's. Maybe not Malfoy, because everything he said was crude and sexist. But Pansy had slowly become a very good friend. After she had apologized to the raven haired girl the two had become practically inseparable, aside from Hermione going to the library to tutor Nott and even then Pansy came along once and a while.

It was one of these days, where Hermione was reading a book on how to defend one's self from Dark spells, with Pansy sitting across from her enjoying a book that definitely wasn't a classic novel and looked more like some dark romance rubbish, and Nott sat next to her a quill scratching against parchment as he wrote his essay, making it far larger then two feet long.

Nott paused and read over before he turned to Hermione and slid the parchment towards her. She sat her book down and gave it a glance. The smallest of smiles (and the most emotion she ever displayed) became visible on her face, as she found every word he wrote to be as accurate as a text book. "Very good, Theo," she gave the appraisal he needed to hear. "McGonagall would probably wonder if I wrote it, if it weren't for your handwriting. I'm very proud of you."

Nott's grin was so wide, she could see his perfectly shaped teeth and for a moment she wondered if he would bounce up and down with his happiness and embrace her. "You called me Theo," he stated instead, his voice sounding happy and approving.

Hermione tilted her head for a moment, she hadn't noticed she'd said his given name, and looking to Pansy she saw the girl smiling at her. "So, I did," she said with a small nod.

"You know, since we're friends, you CAN call me Theo," He told her and took his work from her, his smile still as radiant as ever.

Although Hermione had been helping him and interacting with both him and Blaise more, she really only thought of Pansy as a friend. But, the look on Nott's- No, not Nott's- Theo's. The look on Theo's face told her otherwise and her mind made the decision then and there, that this lanky boy with stringy dirty blond going on tawny hair, was indeed her friend too. He sure as hell acted more like a friend to her lately than Harry and Ron. But, then again Harry and Ron didn't know of her depression, so she wasn't in the right place to blame them for anything.

"I'd like that," she said quietly with a small nod of her head. Her and Pansy had already had the 'call me this, call me that' talk. And she looked to Theo, her lips still quirked in that small, small smile. "And now that we are friends, you may call me Hermione, as well," she told him, enjoying the twinkle in his eye as he nodded.

The nice moment was cut short when Blaise plopped down in the empty seat besides Pansy and gave her cheek a peck, to then the other witch blushed and sank into her chair with a shy 'Blaise...' As if she wasn't comfortable with the public display of affection. But her green eyes looked to the tan boy, that little sparkle in her gaze showing just how much she felt the same. It was heart warming to actually witness such a tender moment, but Hermione also felt like she was intruding.

She looked away only to find gray eyes looking back into her own. Draco Malfoy stood there, leaning against a book shelf. He rubbed a green apple clean against his black, expensive looking sweatshirt, looking at her all the while, leaving her spellbound as he bit into the apple. The loud crunch brought her to her senses and she looked away immediately. Becoming awkward and tensing up. She was always so relaxed around the other Slytherin's, just not the blond one who seemed to look right through her every time. Like he knew.

The cramps in her stomach gave her the excuse to leave, quietly telling the one's sitting around the table she wasn't feeling too well. Her period wasn't suppose to come for another week or so, but as soon as she got to her room, she checked in the Gryffindor bathroom and was relieved to come up with nothing. The cramps were explainable though, she always got them a couple weeks before she started. So, she wasn't worried about anything being wrong.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_August 28th, 1996_

After a quick pop in to the hospital wing to inform Madam Pomfrey that she would need some pain relieving potion in a week or two. Hermione went to the Great Hall for breakfast. She was surprised to only see Theo sitting there, eating breakfast and reading the Daily Prophet. Since Pansy wasn't around she made her way further down the table and sat across from the boy. Her twitch of a smile coming to respond to the boys glorious grin at seeing her. "Good morning," she greeted politely and looked down when her bowl of food appeared. "Where's Pansy," she asked, scooping up some of the porridge, before she looked back to Theo's face.

"Oh, they all drank too much last night and are sleeping off their hangovers," Theo replied and took a bite of toast. "You probably won't see Pansy until after lunch," he added and she noticed the one flaw Theodore Nott had... He talked with his mouth full. Just like Ron. If it weren't for that she would have thought he was the most perfect boy. Wait, drank?

"What did they drink?" Hermione asked with a arch of her eyebrow that made her look accusing, the sound of her voice even held a malicious threat. Hermione was one for the rules, and although she had seemed pretty out of it for some time, she didn't forget them. No drinking alcohol on the Hogwarts premises, and that included the grounds.

She could see his adam's apple bob as he gulped, instantly regretting his little slip up. He looked terrified. "Well, Hermione, you see..." he was about to make an excuse, but instead he sighed. "It was only a little."

"Theodore Nott, what did they drink?" she asked again, and even she was impressed with how much she sounded like a mixture of Snape and McGonagall. But, as soon as she said those words she shook her head. "Nevermind, I don't want to know. It's most likely firewhiskey, and their hangovers will suffice enough as punishment," she sighed before eating another spoonful of the slop in her bowl.

It was quiet for a moment, before she heard a rush of air pass through lips and she looked to Theo. To see his shoulders sag in relief. "Are you alright?" she asked, and she could feel the concern she had for him overwhelm her and reach the surface in her tone of voice. His skin was ashen, like any moment he would heave up his breakfast.

"I'm fine," he said, his fingers gripping the edge of the table as he took a couple deep breaths. "I'll be fine. I'm sorry. You shouldn't see me like this," he said, sounding like he wanted to leave, but was rooted to the spot. After a moment, Hermione noticed color coming back to his cheeks and then his eyes opened to look at her. The worried expression on her face must have surprised him, because his eyes grew wide and then he looked away sheepishly. "It's nothing."

"That's not nothing, Theo," she told him, her voice taking up a soft tone. She could imagine how he felt in those few seconds. He had been on the verge of a panic attack, and she'd had many of those. Luckily all in the vicinity of Gryffindor tower. She wondered what had happened to him, to make him have those types of episodes. She knew the reason for her, but before she could open her mouth to question, Theo stood up with a small 'see you later, 'Mione', before he walked away.

She watched him until he was gone and she looked back to her bowl of porridge, stirring the creamy concoction around. Those four Slytherin's were all just a big wonder to her. Although she'd made friends with both Pansy and Theo, and Blaise since it seemed he liked Pansy, she constantly wondered how they came to how they were. What happened to them over the summer that changed their views on Muggleborns and the war?

_**/-/-/-/ **_

When lunch strolled around, Hermione was the only one sitting there at the table. The only one young enough to be a student anyway, as she looked towards the staff table. She couldn't really bring herself to eat her sandwich, a couple nibbles was all. She was worried about Theo. She hadn't seen him since breakfast and she wasn't very surprised when he didn't show up in the library. She pushed her plate away and as she stood, she saw the three Slytherin's missing that morning making their way to the table. Pansy and Blaise's faces were pinched, with a hand caressing their heads. _Hangovers, they deserve them. _Malfoy was the only one who didn't appear to be in agony of drinking to much, although his clothes looked as if they were carelessly thrown on, making him look better then when his clothes were expensively crisp.

"I hope you enjoy lunch," she said loudly, hearing the couple moan. "The mayonnaise is a bit to creamy for my tastes," she said and watched as Blaise brought a hand to his mouth, as if the thought of mayonnaise made him want to puke.

She made her way out of the Great Hall, leaving the three alone as she made a beeline for the lake. She stopped when she saw someone sitting in the grass just off the sandy shores. That tawny hair she'd recognize anywhere. Slowly she continued forward, and then came to sit next to him. They sat for a long while in silence. Both of them staring out into the murky water.

"Just before the summer, my father was arrested," Theo spoke quietly, picking at the blades of grass. "He's in Azkaban now."

Hermione nodded slowly, she knew that. His father had been one of the Death Eater's at the Department of Mysteries. "You miss him?" she asked, surprised at his scoff of disgust.

"God, no!" he said, shaking his head. "My father was a right bastard. For almost six years he controlled me. I hate him for taking the years of my childhood that should have been my best."

Hermione frowned, she didn't understand. "Controlled?"

Theo slowly looked to Hermione with a nod. "Pansy told us. You wondered why we were all so nice, why we weren't insulting you," he continued when Hermione nodded. "Our parents are the worst people. Whether they're in Azkaban or not. Why they follow that madman..." he shook his head, and his hair fell into his eyes. "All of us, all four of us, were saved at the beginning of summer. For almost _six years_ we were held under the Imperius," he said, his eyes not straying from Hermione's, and she felt her own widen. "_Six years_," he said, his voice a hiss of misery. She watched the muscle in his jaw tick and then he looked away, but she couldn't. She stared, stunned by his admission. All of them? Under the Imperius?

Hermione didn't know what to say. What could she? Sorry, maybe? But, what would that really do? Nothing. This knowledge put everything into place. Why Pansy seemed so hurt by those words of hers. Why she wasn't approached with an onslaught of viscous insults involving her lack of pure blood. Slowly she reached out and took Theo's hand into her own, warming his cool skin, as she gently squeezed his fingers.

"That's not even the worst of it, Hermione," he said and she heard his voice crack, it was heart breaking. To see this boy before her so broken, when all she had seen of him this summer was a happy bubble full of enthusiasm. "The curse was broken when they snapped my father wand. I was free. But, it didn't last long. I was punished for my father's failure. V-vold... Vold..." he shook his head, his eyes shut tightly.

"You don't have to say his name, Theo," she told him, scooting closer as she placed her other hand at their already entwined fingers.

"_He gave me to Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband_," his voice was so low, she thought she hadn't heard correctly, and then his shoulders were shaking and his face grew wet and blotchy. She heard her own gasp, she imagined what he was put through. His reaction to his own confession spoke more than his words. He's been abused. Possibly worse than her own situation. And she felt her own eyes begin to water, as Theo tried to continue to tell her. As if he had to get it out. "T-two weeks," he cried. "They had me f-for two weeks," his body wracked so hard, Hermione wrapped her arms around him, feeling his face in the crook of her neck as he sobbed, his hands clutching at the back of her shirt for some kind of anchor. His tears stained her shirt and seeped into her skin. She just held him, let him cry. Let him get it all out. She shed her own tears, but they were solely for this boy. She'd already cried for herself, she couldn't waste her tears on that, but for this boy... she'd cry rivers.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione walked back towards Gryffindor tower, almost in a daze. She let more emotion shine through today, than she had in a couple weeks. Theo... Oh God, Theo... She could still feel her tear-ducts at work whenever she thought about it. Bellatrix Lestrange. That monstrous bitch and her equally monstrous husband... She didn't want to think about what they had put Theo through. She also feared what the other had been put through. Pansy, Blaise, even Draco... God, and she'd thought they were Death Eater's in the making, even as she befriended them, the thought that they were in league with Voldemort never really left. But, now she knew. Now, she understood. Now, it all came together perfectly, and at the same time it was horrible terrifying. Had all of them been through such horrific events? Or were her and Theo the only ones damned with such monstrous torture?

Her mind jerked when she collided with a hard body and she heard his hissing curse. Just as his hands steadied her from falling. She looked up into gray eyes that trapped her immediately. She didn't believe such brilliant, illuminating orbs could belong to such a person, but they did.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, Granger," he spat, although his hands hadn't moved from their tight grasp on her upper arms. He was a head taller than her, and his face was twisted into a sneer, but Hermione saw past that now. "Are you alright?" he suddenly asked, frowning at his own words.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied quietly, managing not to flinch at the boys touch.

"You look like shit," he told her, his tone matter-of-fact and making her glare.

She shrugged out of his hold. "Well, you look like a ferret," she hissed back, before she stomped her way back up to Gryffindor tower. But, sadly her stomping footsteps didn't mask the sound of Draco Malfoy's sensual chuckle.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I hope this chapter doesn't seem too rushed. I hate it when my writing feels that way... Anyway, thank you for the reviews, and here's the sixth chapter. It didn't come as fast as the others, but it's here and I hope you enjoy. Also, there's a poll on my profile that will remain open until 'Take My Hand' is finished. I have some ideas and would like to know which ship to write for next. But, rest assured. 'Take My Hand' is not even nearly done. There are many chapters planned for this story, and a plot I hope you will all love.

**Chapter 6**

_August 29th, 1996_

Really, now. It wasn't exactly a surprise for Hermione to find herself in a secluded part of the library. Theo and Pansy were busy, and she never hung around Blaise unless those two were around. So, sitting herself down to read one of Pansy's highly recommended romance novels came easily. Although, almost every other chapter left her blushing and squirming uncomfortably in her seat, she was grateful when she heard the sound of someone approaching. Her shoulders tensed a little when she saw Blaise Zabini taking a seat opposite her. The book came to rest in her lap, page saved, and her hands laying on top of one another as she looked to him inquiringly.

"Pansy's birthday is tomorrow," he said through a forced gush of air, and his brown eyes finally looked to her, he almost seemed anxious. "I was thinking of throwing her a birthday party. I wanted it to be a surprise. Could you help me?"

Her brow slowly quirked as she considered his words. She knew of Pansy's birthday, they'd only discussed it the day before, and she knew the other girl didn't want anything big. "I suppose," she told him. "But, I don't think we should go all out..."

"Oh, I know," Blaise nodded, as he shifted into a more comfortable position. "I just thought maybe some streamers hung around the Slytherin common room. Maybe a cake, some presents... With just the five of us. I mean, who else would I ask to the celebration? Snape? McGonagall? Dumbledore?" He laughed and shook his head.

Her lips quirked into an small, amused smile and she agreed to his ideas with a tilt of her head. "That sounds nice, Blaise," she told him. After having heard Theo's story she saw past her prejudices again both Blaise and Malfoy, although the latter still got on her nerves. _The bloody ferret..._

"Yeah?" the look of excitement on his face, warmed her heart. He really did care for Pansy and she wished she had someone like him in her life. Someone that wanted to surprise her, love her, care for her, and take away all of her inner pain.

"Yeah," Hermione nodded, her expression more soft, as the tension slowly eased from her shoulders. But, she still had to give the boy the talk. "I see how you look at her. You care deeply for her. You better keep up your treatment of her because if you ever hurt her, emotionally or physically, I will castrate you," she said in the calmest voice, it made her words sound scary even to her ears.

Blaise's eyes widened slowly, making his aristocratic face seem commonly. He then laughed, albeit a bit nervously. "You're fucking scary, Granger," he breathed out, shaking his head at her while his face grew sober. "But, I'm glad you're around," he added, the quiet once again ensuing.

It was moment before Blaise spoke again, and Hermione watched his hands twitching nervously. "I would never hurt her. I could never... My mother went from man to man. I'm not going to pass Pansy aside once school starts and go from woman to woman, I promise that."

She noticed how both his tone as his face held a immense amount of determination and love. And once again she was envious. Pansy and Blaise were lucky to have one another, even if they were just at the beginning stages of their relationship.

Minutes ticked by, and Hermione began to wonder about Blaise and his mother. "Theo told me about what you all went through," she said, not sure she should bring this up now, but when could she again? "It was your mother who..."

"Yes," he said, frowning suddenly with a curt not. His eyes bore into her own and she tensed once again. At this he eased up his harsh look. "I'm sorry, it's a hard situation," he shifted uncomfortably at the change of topic. "Though I was lucky, Pansy too. My mother is only a fan of _him_. Pansy's father always is one to please as is her whoring mother," he said, rolling his eyes, while Hermione felt nothing but disgust. "I'm just glad Snape got her out of her situation before her mother could offer her up to the _Dark Lord,_" he hissed.

"I'm so sorry for you all."

"Don't be, Granger," he shook his head and got to his feet. "Just be glad it wasn't you," he said, before pausing and looking to her, remembering seeing her at the beginning of August. And his look only caused her to remember, as well. She closed her eyes and shook away the feel of his touch, his breath on her neck, the feel of blood coating her skin. The pain, _god the pain_...

When she opened her eyes, he was so close and she couldn't help her body tensing in reaction. She looked up to his face, flinching when his hand reached forward. But, instead of a smack to her face, like her mind had sadly first thought of, she felt his thumb wiping away a stray tear.

"You don't have to fear me, I'd never hurt my friends."

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco had worried about the Granger girl, but as days went along, he started growing angry at her. His friends, _his family_... It felt like she was taking them from him and he couldn't stand it. His mother was gone, and they were all he had left. Why couldn't she just leave them alone and wait for Potter and Weasley to get back? And better yet, why was Theo all of a sudden opening up to the bushy haired girl, huh? Telling her what they'd been through? If anyone was to tell her, it should have been him.

Then again... They weren't exactly on good terms. She seemed to tolerate him when he was around with the others, but when they'd bump into each other, he saw that inner fire surge forth each time his mouth opened. And truth be told, he purposely said those things to rile her up just so he could witness the lioness threatening to get out.

Sitting down in the leather chair in the common room after lunch with a book in his hand, he idly flipped through the pages. Wondering where the others were, and why they weren't hanging around in the dungeons like usual. Was it Granger, again? He didn't need an answer for that when all three of them walked through the portrait. There voices excited and happy and his lips slowly curved. He truly loved the sound.

But, it was when he heard her name – _Hermione – _That he blew his gasket and said the worst thing imaginable. "What's this then? All three of you are jumping for joy at a shot to get in the Mudblood's pants?" even as the words passed his lips, he knew he was in for it. He hated himself in that moment. How could he use that vile word, that name which always caused the girl to look so crestfallen? He could imagine how she'd look if she were in the room. _God, why? Why do I have to be such a bloody ponce!_

He didn't think he'd ever seen Theo move so fast. One moment he was across the room, the next he was all the way to Draco, a hand fisted in his shirt, and his fist coming down on his face. Draco didn't have time to react, hell, he didn't even see the point to defend himself. He deserved this. He deserved the bloody lip, the crack that signaled his nose was now broken, he deserved this pain for all the pain he'd caused her over the years. Maybe he hadn't been in control, but it was his mouth, his voice, but his damn father's words...

Then it stopped.

It took a moment for Draco to regain his focus, and he moaned quietly when his fingers brushed over his throbbing nose. He opened one eye to see Blaise trying to calm Theo down, and Pansy glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

"How dare you, Draco Malfoy," she spat at him. "Your mother would be ashamed," she said through her gritted teeth, trying to hold back on a harsher scolding that he wished she'd let loose. But those words hurt worse then Theo's punches. His mother **would** be ashamed. Hell, she was probably rolling in her grave. He looked down at his hands, seeing a few drops of blood on his palms.

Standing, he silently made his way up to his room to stop the bleeding.

_**/-/-/-/**_

It was just before dinner, Hermione laid out on the grass with a notebook in her lap and a quill in hand. She had been in Gryffindor tower, moving onto a defense book rather than that gruesome romance novel, when the Fat Lady appeared in a portrait and informed her of the three Slytherin's out in the hall. Theo had been so mad, with Blaise fuming, and Pansy irked. She invited them in, but the angry atmosphere only seemed to grow, so she had mentioned perhaps going out to the lake. To which, they all agreed.

So, now she sat, writing up the things they would need tomorrow for Pansy's birthday, while the others took out their frustrations splashing each other in the water. They asked her to join, and Theo even begged her with his puppy-dog eyes, but she refused and told him maybe some other time.

She only noticed the presence of the other boy when his foot shifted against the grass beneath his feet and she looked over to see Malfoy standing not so far away from her. She frowned when she saw his face. His lip split and swollen, his nose looking like he'd had a bad match in Quidditch.

She stared at him, while he watched his friend. She noticed how sad he seemed, and she had the urge to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything was okay. Gladly, she stayed put.

"What happened to your face?"

He didn't answer right away, so Hermione looked back out towards the lake.

"Theo decided I would be good target practice for his fists," came the silky smooth reply.

"Theo?" Hermione snapped her attention back to the blond with an incredulous expression. She couldn't believe it, was he so broken, he took it out with violence?

"Don't worry. He was defending you."

It didn't take long for Hermione's face to grow accusing. "Just what was he defending me from?"

Again silence strangled the air around them, and before Hermione could sigh with frustration, he spoke. "Me," he said returning her gaze.

Once again, she was spellbound by his gray orbs. So beautiful, so mysterious. _Is that specks of blue?_ She wondered, tilting her head curiously. He didn't chuckle, he didn't smirk, he just stared back, while her heart did the tango in the cavity of her chest. Did he feel this way too? Or was she the only one with these forbidden feelings? God, she wished she could wish them away! He was a git and horribly mean an crude. Even though she knew the past years weren't his fault, he was still incredibly callous.

"I just don't want you taking them from me."

She was broken out of her haze with those words, unsure if she heard correctly. "I'm not taking anything from you," she told him, frowning.

"But, you are, Granger," he said, his voice so soft, so unbelievably sensual without meaning to be. "You are. You are taking what family I have left..." and he turned and walked away. Just like that. Nothing else said, he was gone.

_**/-/-/-/ **_

It was when dinner strolled along, that Hermione noticed. Her spot at the table wasn't only just hers and Pansy's anymore. No, Blaise and Theo were all sitting with her as well. Malfoy sat farther down, with his head bent and pushing his turkey into his mashed potatoes. It was true. She had taken his friend. No, _his family_. They'd easily traded him for her and Hermione couldn't help feeling guilty. Even if they were mad at Malfoy, even if he had insulted her in front of them...

Slowly Hermione stood up and grabbed her plate. Three sets of eyes all locked onto her curiously. She nodded her head towards Malfoy, before she started to walk sown the aisle. Her face the expressionless mask it was when things weren't interesting. She sat her plate down and then took her seat across from him. He looked at her inquiringly, before he glanced around him to see Blaise, Pansy, and Theo all joining her to his side of the table. When his gaze connected with her once again, he saw the gentle quirk of her lips, and he returned it.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Forgive me! I'm sorry for the late update, after those six quick ones. This Thanksgiving week has already started getting busy, and not to mention trying to get Christmas shopping done, before things get crazy... Anywho, here's chapter seven and I hope it's okay! I'm not exactly proud of it. I have chapter eight planned and ready to write, but if it's not up soon, it's because I've gotten busy. Thank you for all the reviews! Remember to view the poll! And you can choose two ships! If you don't want to select at the poll, you can even put it in the review. Here's the ships: Hermione/Remus, Hermione/Theo, Hermione Lucius, Hermione/Rabastan, another Hermione/Draco, and Hermione/Fenrir.

**Chapter 7**

_August 30th, 1996_

Pansy's birthday went according to plan. Draco and Blaise had distracted the raven haired birthday girl long enough for Hermione and Theo to decorate the dank dungeons where the Slytherin common room was. With green and silver decorations everywhere, a small table served as a refreshment stand with a simple cake that read 'Happy Birthday Pansy' on it, and a bowl of punch with five glasses.

The surprise had been a big one, as Pansy had felt the birthday wishes that morning had been well enough, this little party with just the five of them was the icing on the cake. Presents had been opened. A book from Hermione, a journal from Theo, a necklace from Blaise, and a cat from Draco. When all but a couple crumbs were left of the cake, Blaise shot up from his seat next to Pansy who looked at him while she stroked her new black kitty's head.

"Music," he declared and whipped out his wand. The Weird Sisters echoed throughout the room and Blaise turned dramatically towards Pansy. "My lady," he said with a low bow, holding his hand out for her to take in a gesture which mocked all the gentlemen of the world.

Pansy rolled her eyes, but played along with a blush along her cheeks as she handed Draco her cat, Knox. "Good sir," she said, taking Blaise's hand in her own and allowing him to lift her to her feet, before he swooped her into his arms and they began to dance.

Hermione's small smile appeared on her face at the sight of them and before she knew it, Theo got to his feet and walked towards her. She looked past him to the blond, and noticed those gray eyes watching the tawny haired boy walking towards her, then they shifted to her. She turned away and instead looked to Theo's beaming face. She took the hand he held out to her, and let Theo twirl her around the room. He got a few rare laughs when he dipped her or spun her around over dramatically, getting her dizzy and making the room blur around her.

And the night continued on. Hermione dancing with Theo or Blaise, and Pansy having a turn with all the boys. They would break once and a while for a breather or a glass of punch, which Hermione could have sworn didn't taste right, but everyone told her it was fine. Then they'd get up again and dance some more.

Hermione noticed the prickling feeling of someone watching her each time she danced with Theo, and when she gathered all of her Gryffindor courage to chance a look, she found those gray eyes looking back. Haunted and exciting, sensual and scary... Those damn eyes...

It seemed like hours upon hours of them dancing and drinking. And after a while Hermione admitted the punch was rather yummy, the slight burn now only a harmless tickle down her throat and her head so fuzzy, she was glad she was always steadied by the arms of one of the boys.

Being in the arms of Blaise Zabini, she looked on in amusement at the passed out form of Theo. His face planted in the cushions on the couch, with his rump in the air and Knox laying along his back. She felt the rumble of Blaise's laughter. "That boy cannot hold his liquor," he shook his head before suddenly declaring, "Switch!" and moving off, taking Pansy from Draco. The Slytherin princess laughed and melted into her boyfriends arms almost immediately (her shyness seeming to have just disappeared), leaving Hermione and Malfoy to stand there uncomfortably.

The minutes ticked by slowly, she could see Pansy and Blaise twirling around them out of her blurred peripheral vision, while she got sucked into his spell. She couldn't make up her mind as to whether or not dancing with the git was a good idea, her conscious fighting with that other part of her mind that taunted her to take the risk.. And being in the state she was in didn't help the situation any better.

All day they'd been rather cordial, mainly for Pansy's sake, so what could it hurt? Her step forward was a move her mind hadn't permitted yet, and the next one hadn't gotten permission either. With their eyes locked, she placed her hands on his shoulders, at least keeping them at arms length, and his hands came to her waist. She gasped when he pulled her close, their front touching and her mind attacked with those horrid memories. No, this was too close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest, her eyes shut tight to help her rid the images that came from such close contact. She felt him moving them across the floor, while her mind flashed through the incident at such a fast pace it left her trembling.

She had to get away, they were too close, it was too much.

She pushed him away and ran. Her feet carried her far from the Slytherin common room, her mind so muddled she got herself lost too many times to count. When she finally threw herself onto her mattress in Gryffindor tower she cried into her pillow. How could she ever move on? How could she ever have a proper relationship with anybody without thinking about that vile, disgusting man's touch?

Would she ever be free of it? Of him?

Jumping up she started hitting her pillow and screaming at it. "How could you? How could you do this to me? I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Her screams carried on until her body grew tired and she slumped forward into a pile of sobs. "_I hate you... Hate you.. You've broken me..._" She cried herself to sleep, her pillow tight in her grasp, tear stained.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_August 31st, 1996_

Even in sleep she hadn't been able to rid herself of the images. She didn't blame Malfoy, it was her own mind reacting badly. She didn't go down for breakfast, nor lunch. Pansy had visited her, wondering if everything was alright. But, it seemed Hermione had once again gone mute. She couldn't talk, she just... She had nothing to say. She shrugged and rolled over onto her side while Pansy laid next to her, avoiding touch at all costs when Hermione flinched from all movement.

"It's okay, Hermione," Pansy said quietly. "I'm just going to stay for a while," like people had feared when Hermione had first come to the castle that summer, Pansy was afraid Hermione might harm herself. If only she knew what was wrong...

When Hermione was alone again, she cried. She had been so determined.. Tried not to allow it to interfere with her getting close to the Slytherin boys, but it seemed it did when she was having particular feelings for one of them. Feelings that were so obscured.. He was such a git, he said horrible things... But his eyes, they always got to her every time she looked into them. She been in such turmoil, that fact she'd gotten smashed at Pansy's party never even registered.

She finally left the tower around eleven at night, her coat wrapped tightly around her as she made her way out to the lake. It was cold at this time, her nose red and getting chapped from the wind. She sat in the damp grass, wrapping her arms around her legs as she watched the ripples in the murky waters, seeing the Giant Squid's tentacles curling up the shores, looking for food that might have washed up. The night looked how she felt; depressed and full of gloom.

"What are you doing out this late?" Came that smooth voice, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. She turned her head and looked at the profile of his handsomely aristocratic face. Oh boy, would Harry and Ron have a fit at that thought. When she didn't answer him, he took that as his cue to continue. "Would have thought you'd keep that bushy hair of yours nice and warm up in your tower."

"What happened to you that made you such a dick?" she asked rather bluntly. Making his eyebrows raise considerably, as he never really heard her swear much. As rare as it was, he found it delightful every time.

"What happened to you that had me running your bloody body all the way to the hospital wing?" Her face pinched with pure and utter incredulity at his question, while she sharply turned her head to him.

She truly was scared of that question. She told her story once, she wasn't going to tell it again. The details were too graphic, too much of a horror to relay once again. And why should she tell him? He was nothing to her. She liked his eyes? So what? She wasn't going to get into that. Not again, never again..

She looked back out to the lake, closing her eyes for a couple moments to calm herself, before she bowed her head, resting her cheek on one of her knees. She was tired, but couldn't sleep. She'd slept all day, go figure. She felt the space on her right grow warmer, and she didn't have to look to know Draco Malfoy was sitting next to her.

"School's starting tomorrow," he stated the obvious and she didn't mind the change in subject. It was one of the things that worried Hermione. What would her two best friends say to her befriending Slytherins? That was if they didn't go back to treating her like scum for show. "Pansy fears you'll pretend to hate her," at that, Hermione opened her eyes to look at him. Watching as he stared straight ahead at the lake. "Will you? When Potter and Weasel come back? Are you going to join in their rants and raves of how we're all Death Eater's in the making? Will you turn your back of them? Theo? Pansy? Blaise?"

Hermione didn't answer. She watched him as he shook his head with a scoff, most likely thinking she would. That her silence was answer enough. "The real question is, Malfoy, will they turn their backs on me?"

He slowly turned his head to look at her, that beautifully pale face of his clear of any emotions he might be feeling, masking him from view. "You mean, will you once again become a lowly mudblood who is beneath them?"

She nodded, her cheek scraping against her jean clad knee, not at all surprised by his term. She really didn't mind it. It didn't hurt to hear it anymore. She knew real pain, and that small slight was nothing. "No," he told her. "They're not going to turn their backs on you."

Her body grew warmer at that knowledge, to know she'd still have the other three as friends. She only hoped Harry and Ron could accept it. "And you?" she asked, her eyes not leaving his face, to enthralled by his eyes, by his cheekbones, by his chin...

"We're not friends, you and I," he stated, and that was true. Malfoy would never be her friend, no matter his reform to the light side. She'd most likely make friends with all the other Slytherins and become Mrs. Snape before she was _ever_ friends with Draco Malfoy. And she wouldn't go that far just to be his friend. "But, that doesn't mean I hate you, Granger."

With that, they both let the silence reign over them. The only noise was the splashes of that pesky squid trying to get himself some dinner.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco watched as her eyes fluttered close after the silence engulfed the space around them. He notice the shape of her jaw, the softness of her nose, the thickness of her eyelashes... Her eyebrows were bushy, but just like her hair he found it completely complimented her rather than making her look ratty. She looked like a cute bookworm snuggled up in her coat.

_Cute bookworm?_

Great, now he was thinking of her as cute. That's all he needed to make him fall harder. First he was only interestingly worried of her well being. He'd seen her at what was most likely her worst and he _never_ wanted to see that again. And now... Well, his mother once told him boys tease the girls they like. That at one point, his father had been such a boy. Teasing her in school, then they ended up getting married.

His mother had once said her and Lucius had been madly in love. But, over time, the man she fell in love with died, and all that was left behind was a man obsessed with power.

Draco wasn't in love. He found the Granger girl interesting and he might like her, but not love.

Not yet.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Oh, my god! I can't believe how late this is! I'm so sorry! What with Thanksgiving week and everything. I've been hella busy with family. But, I never forgot about this story, let me tell you! I kept thinking of what to do next, how would Harry and Ron react? Would Ginny be nice or bitchy? Was I rushing it? Well, here it is, and I hope you like it! Thank you all for you're reviews. I really appreciate them! Also, thank you for doing the poll. Since it's really a one time think, to which you can choose two. If you want to keep voting, just put two of the ships you want to see me write in your review and I'll count it into the poll!

**Chapter 8**

_September 1st, 1996_

The whole day Hermione had tried not to worry, but every other couple of minutes she was looking down at her watch, checking the time. The Welcoming Feast was at six and she was mostly worried about seeing Harry and Ron again. Though the past couple twenty-four hours or so hadn't exactly been the best, when she woke up, she knew she was going to spend most of her time with those four Slytherins.

And she did. All day, they spent it out by the lake. Pansy, Blaise, and Theo all splashing around in the water, while Hermione laid out on a blanket in the grass flipping through the pages of a book, and Draco sat against a tree chomping into an apple and reading the Daily Prophet. She didn't know how she could feel so calm, especially with Malfoy only a couple feet away. But as the minutes ticked by in passing moments, everything just sort of felt serene. She loved that she wasn't thinking about the beginning of summer, that she wasn't worried about her astounding thoughts and feelings for Malfoy. The the only thing currently on her mind was a couple defensive spells and the impending arrival of her best friends.

When the feast finally did roll around, she separated from the Slytherins promising them that she wouldn't change, just as they promised her the same (aside from Draco). It was certainly weird how trusting she was of them, how easily she had been able to accept them into her now depressing life and they only seemed to make that life less dull. They gave her more purpose to live.

She sat down at the Gryffindor table, feeling a little out of place as it was still empty. She looked up at the staff table, all the teachers in attendance except for Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore gave her an encouraging smile, that twinkle in his eye making her think of their last meeting. When he had given her a little more hope. Some of his words finally made since now and she found herself smiling back. Not some half-arsed smile that everyone had been receiving since her arrival, but a true-honest-to-Godric smile that made her look like the innocent girl she used to be. And deep down she still was, emotionally.

When her eyes landed on the bat, the man who had saved her life, her smile faltered. Not because she wasn't grateful, but at the mere fact he was looking right back at her. She could have sworn she saw a slight curve to his thin lips and his head dip in that of a nod of encouragement. She imagined it, surely. She hadn't spoken to Professor Snape, not once. Even if it was her imagination, it gave her more hope, and she nodded back, but the look was gone, had been while she tried to think if it was just a play of the lighting. No, it was real. She needed it to be real. So it was.

It was when she heard the sound of a hundred clitter-claps that she suspected the 2nd to 7th years were coming to get seated before the 1st years would be sorted. The talking and laughing of friends reuniting echoed off the ceiling in the entrance and then the doors to the Great Hall opened and students filed in.

It wasn't long before she was being squished from both sides, then inquired by hundreds of questions. She closed her eyes and tried to stop the bile that started to rise in her throat at their touch. Why did she have to be reminded then, why? She didn't want to think of _his_ touch when she was being sandwiched between her two best friend. Calmly she cleared her throat and removed their arms, giving them both a look. "Personal space, please," she said, smiling in relief when Ginny Weasley walked over, pushing her brother aside to sit next to her. The indignant 'hey' coming from Ron, making her shake her head.

She never had to be afraid of Ginny being too close, the redhead wasn't exactly touchy-feely. Not since her first year at Hogwarts. "Hermione," the Weasley girl smiled at her pleasantly. "It's good to see you. I hope these prats aren't bothering you. How was your summer?" she was happy for the polite conversation, but not too excited about the topic.

Harry and Ron looked at her expectantly.

She didn't want to tell them. She didn't want their pity. Her parents were dead, maybe Harry could understand. But he wouldn't understand the whole extent of it. And she wasn't about to start babbling about her rape.

She was saved when the doors swung open again and new 1st years toppled into the Great Hall with looks of awe on their tiny faces. Eyes wide, mouths hung open... They were cute, and so innocent. Hermione remembered when she had first stepped foot into the castle. She'd been so mesmerized by it. So, excited and eager to please... Happy to be apart of a world were she could be normal, but then again, she wasn't really normal in this world either, was she?

The sorting went by quickly, or maybe that was because Hermione zoned out. Harry had nudged her when it was over and the food arrived. "Are you alright, 'Mione?" he asked, his tone was concerned, and she just smiled with a nod, before she dug into her meal. She knew Mrs. Weasley hadn't told them what had happened. She bet the whole Order knew. They had too, it couldn't be kept a secret. Hermione Granger was raped by a Death Eater. Not to mention an orphan now.

As the meal continued, Ron moved around to sit infront of her and Harry. She'd once again zoned out while Ginny talked to Padma and Harry and Ron began to talk about the rubbish that was Quidditch. She ate her food like a zombie, wishing to go over and sit with a group of four Slytherins, but she was stuck. She didn't want Harry and Ron to know of her new friends just yet.

"Don't you think, Hermione? Hello, Hermione," she looked up when she saw Harry's hand waving in her face and she looked at him.

"What? What do I think?" she asked, seeming a little thick. They just looked at her like they couldn't believe she hadn't been hanging onto their every syllable.

Harry moved his head closer, and Hermione had to beg her body not to flinch or move away from him. "That Malfoy is a Death Eater..." he said and looked over to the Slytherin table suspiciously.

Hermione frowned and looked from Harry to Ron, the redheaded boy stuffing his face, but agreeing wholeheartedly with a nod. "What makes you say that?" she asked, hoping her voice didn't sound as preposterous as it had to her own years.

"Hello," Ron rolled his eyes with a mouthful. "His father was a Death Eater!" he said and just stuffed some more bread down his throat. God, was that an awful sight. She loved Ron, but seriously, did he have to eat like such a pig...?

"And he wasn't on the train," Harry pointed out, like it was a major key point to their accusation.

"Malfoy is not a Death Eater," Hermione told them, knowing that her voice was coming off as clipped and stern, if the look Ginny gave her was anything to go by.

"How do you know?" Ron mumbled, and the sight of the food in his mouth making her sick.

"He's been here all summer, well, since I arrived anyway," she said and looked down as her food disappeared and a nice dessert of ice cream replaced her dinner. "He's not a Death Eater," she said quietly, keeping her head down while she ate.

She could feel the looks she was given, but she ignored them.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 4th, 1996_

Days had gone by. Homework filling up most of her time. That and Harry and Ron constantly asking her for her help. She never had a minute to actually seek out her new friends and talk to them. But, they weren't in any better shape. The first week of school was always the worst. And they were pretty busy too. They'd give each other secret looks across the hall. Silently telling each other they'd meet up soon.

Although she loved both Harry and Ron, and only kept things from them for their own benefit, they were really starting to bug her with all their questions. 'Are you alright?' Everyday, every time she saw them, it was the same three words.

Was she alright? No, not really.

Was she going to tell them that? No.

They didn't need to here it, because they'd only worry.

She came out of Arithmancy, knowing full well she had lunch next. And she wondered what to do. She really wanted to see Pansy and Theo, Blaise too... Maybe even Malfoy, but not from across the room. She wanted to sit with them like she had been ever since August. She wanted to see the sweet thing Blaise did for Pansy, she wanted Theo to try and make her laugh, she wanted to feel like her heart was going to explode every time she looked into Malfoy's eyes.

Before she knew it, she was standing infront of the open doors, looking into the Great Hall, as everyone ate and enjoyed their meal. She looked to the Gryffindor table and then to the Slytherin table. She'd been beaten, broken, and bruised. She had scars that would take a life time to heal. She was going to do this.

Slowly she started towards the table. Some people began to look at her oddly. But, she just held her head high and walked over to the four Slytherins. Seeing Pansy's smiling, excited face, she smiled back. Theo moved over to make some room, pushing a third year out of the way in order to do so. She gave him a scolding look before sitting down.

"Hey," she greeted, before leveling Theo with a look that meant business. "That was very rude, Theo," she admonished in that tone of hers, although knew very well to take it lightly with him. The boy was fragile, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Many of the Slytherins sneered at her, mumbling words, that maybe she would have taken offensive last year. But now were nothing to her.

She sat between Theo and Pansy, feeling Pansy grab her hand, she turned and shared a look with her, their lips smiling.

It seemed like the rest of the hall was quiet for a long time, a plate appearing before Hermione. But, before she could dig in, she felt a tap on her shoulder and heard someone clear their throat.

She didn't have to even look to know who it was. But, she slowly turned and saw Harry's scowl and Ron's red face. Behind them stood Ginny, arms crossed, but her heated gaze was set on the boys not Hermione.

"I tried to keep them at the table, but no, they don't listen to me," Ginny said, obviously feeling like expanding to such friends wasn't a bad thing.

"Shut up, Ginny," Ron spat and then stepped closer to Hermione. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you barking?" he asked, his hands flailing while he talked.

Hermione just looked away from him to Harry. "I'm sitting with some friends, that's all," she spoke, keeping her voice level and not allowing them to bring her down and make her feel ashamed. She wasn't ashamed of the four who sat with her. Not even Malfoy.

Harry didn't speak, he just glared. While Ron's mouth gaped. "Friends?" he asked. "_Friends? _They're not your friends, they're Death Eaters!"

While the whole hall had resumed back to their eating and chatter, now they were once again silent. Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Watch your slithering tongue," she said and stood, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at the boys. "If you two are really my friends you will accept that Theo, Pansy, Blaise, and Draco are my friends, as well."

She didn't know why Ron's face got redder, or why Harry's eyes bulged. And then Ron began to take another step forth, about to get into Hermione's personal space, Ginny came to the rescue and pulled him back. Pushing him away and yelling at him to shut up when he began to sputter out things.

Harry just stared at her and her expression softened. "Harry..."

"_Draco?_" he asked. "He's Draco to you now?"

Hermione looked at him. Confused, she'd didn't understand- Oh.

"They were here when I got here," she told him. "They're not bad people, I promise... Please, Harry..."

Harry shook his head and stepped away from her. "My parents didn't think Wormtail was bad either, look where that got them." He said and turned on his heel and left.

Hermione sat back down, not allowing him to get to her. Theo lightly nudged her side, while Pansy took a hold of her hand once again, giving it a comforting squeeze. She smiled at the both of them. Gazing down at her plate a moment later. She felt eyes on her. The hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She knew who it was, but she wasn't going to even look at him. Not now, when she needed a moment to catch her breath.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: I am so sorry... I thought I would have this up sooner, but life got all busy all of a sudden. And I have to admit I got hooked into Legend of the Seeker. Anyone watch that? Anyone absolutely head over heels in love with Darken Rahl? Aka Craig Parker? Well, anyway, I've added Snape to the pole. And again, if you've already used the poll, feel free to keep voting in your reviews. Finally another chapter for you, and be aware a bit of a WARNING. Not really graphic, but if you are uncomfortable with attempted rape you might want to steer clear. Thank you all for your reviews. And another slight warning, this chapter might seem a bit off and kinda jumpy. That's how I feel when I read it anyway... Hope you enjoy though.

**Chapter 9**

_September 6th, 1996_

It hadn't taken long for the Gryffindor's to turn on her, the only ones on her side was Ginny and Neville. While the younger students didn't have the nerve to slam down her spirits verbally, they're hateful looks were enough to send her reeling. And the Slytherin's weren't any better. Hermione knew the boys and Pansy were getting mowed down. The fact that they hadn't sworn they're allegiance with Voldemort was the first step, now that they had her around, they were subject to even more viciousness and cruelty.

But, while the Slytherin's called her harmless names such as mudblood and muggle scum, it was the Gryffindor's who hurt her worse.

A day was all it took.

She had condemned herself by sitting at the Slytherin table. But, she wasn't blaming the four Slytherin's. They all had a bond. One that even her, Ron, and Harry could never have. They'd been beaten and bruised. Bloodied up by Death Eaters who were masters at what they did. Torture, Rape...

The first person to actually say anything had been a fifth year. Romilda Vane. She was obsessed with Harry and his Chosen One status. And she didn't even reign in her words, not even when she knew Hermione was a prefect.

Hermione had just gotten out of potions when someone shoved their shoulder into hers harshly. The incident didn't go unnoticed by the other students, Theo and Pansy asking if she were all right. Harry and Ron just looked at her while the dark haired girl who'd done it turned around and sneered at her.

She didn't understand why someone who wasn't a Slytherin was looking at her in such a way. But then Romilda opened her mouth. "You are such a whore," she said and Hermione looked at her in complete surprise.

"Excuse me," Pansy said and stepped forward. Hermione knew Pansy was used to being called such things, but now a days with this new school year, talk of her had dwindled.

"Not you, Parkinson," Romilda rolled her eyes dramatically and smiled flirtatiously towards Harry as if the Golden Boy would actually be interested in her. Before her death glare returned to Hermione. "Granger, what's it like, hm? To turn yourself over to their side," she said and nodded at her Slytherin friends. Hermione just stared at the younger girl with utter disbelief. Romilda took a couple steps forward and she felt both Pansy and Theo take her hands for support, their bodies tensing and ready to retaliate. "Oh, look," Romilda continued looking down at Hermione and Theo's entwined fingers. "Is this your new boyfriend, Granger? How do you like it when he whores you out to the other monsters in his house?"

Hermione just stared at her, her eyes still wide. Was she really being accused of being whore? Really? She, a whore? Before she could say anything or just ignore it, Pansy lurched forward and slapped Romilda hard across the face. "Watch what you fucking say, you little twat!" Pansy hissed, pointing a finger in Romilda's surprised face.

"What is going on here?" The low baritone of Professor Snape's voice broke the silence and everyone looked around to face him. Most of the students began leaving the hall, most likely to gossip about it somewhere else.

Romilda Vane made an attempt to leave. "Don't even think of leaving, Miss Vane," Snape snapped. "I want to see you in my office. You too, Miss Parkinson," he said, before turning around with a billow of his robes. Pansy gave Hermione's hand a squeeze, before she kissed Blaise's cheek and set off with Romilda in tow.

Hermione looked over to where Harry and Ron still stood, only they were glaring at the boys who surrounded her. Theo still held her hand, his cool skin warming her own. Blaise stood at her other side, while she could practically feel Malfoy's warmth behind her.

"Thank you so much, for sticking up for me," she said, her voice saying enough about how she felt. Throat thick, eyes full, and while she didn't have the sarcastic edge, the sadness was there to fill in it's place.

Harry and Ron looked to her when she spoke, their expression softening only momentarily before they left down the corridor. She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Muttering a small 'thank you' to the boys. She took her hand from Theo's and went to her next class.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 10th, 1996_

The days after only got worse. The small flame Romilda had set alight with her words, only getting fueled in the gossip mill of Hogwarts. She was gaining a steady buddy system. The only Gryffindor's who talked with her were Ginny and Neville. Everyone else, the people she called her friends, were ready to attach her with those vicious lies.

Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, all the others. They were so horrible. Dean actually told her she was a disgrace to every Muggleborn. While Seamus made lewd gestures and Parvati and Lavender decided to take it upon themselves to be the narrators on what her supposed sex life was like.

And Harry and Ron were no where. Not when it counted. They just sat there when she sat with Ginny at the Gryffindor table, the redheaded girl her only defense as she usually took to acting like she just ignored them. But, it seemed her indifference just put more gas to the fire. They wanted to break her, they wanted her hurt.

Were they really so afraid about the coming war, they could accuse her of such things.

It seemed so.

Hermione's only getaway was the library. Gryffindor's rarely ever picked up a book, until the very last moment. So, when she sat down to a nice book one night, putting curfew off as if it were summer once again and she didn't have a care to the world about someone interrupting her unless it was Blaise and Theo in need of help with their homework. She lost herself in a book. A romance novel that Pansy had insisted she read. And one that actually had an interesting plot that brought her into such a foreign world, she wanted to be apart of it. The fact the male lead was supposed to be a blonde haired, silver-eyed man just made it easier for her to lose herself away from reality.

The footsteps went unnoticed, the presence of the person only brought to her attention when her book was snatched from her fingers. Only then, did she see the blue eyed blonde, looking at her like he was starving and she was his next meal.

He turned the book around and started reading aloud the scene she'd been reading. "Lucas was the one person she found she could be herself with, he was the only guy she'd ever met who seemed to understand her. But, he was dark. He was evil. He hated her. But, God, did she love him, and his touch." Hermione's glare was fierce towards him. How dare he? When she stood to grab the book away from him, he jumped back and held it out of her reach.

"Give it back, Cormac," she said, her voice would have been calm, but the edge showed she wasn't up for this. Just another Gryffindor to add onto her list of teasing monsters.

"Or what?" Cormac asked, leery down at her.

It was that look that made her heart stop in fear. It was way too similar to the one she'd received right before.. No, she wasn't going to allow herself to grow weak in front of him. Her weakness would only bring on more harassment.

"Or I'll hex your balls off," she said, her voice that dangerous tone that scared Theo so much, but her words were straight from the Ginny Weasley phrase book.

Cormac's grin only widened, though. "Oh, I bet you could do something more productive with them," he said and stepped closer. Throwing her book off to the side and out of her reach.

The fact she was backing up didn't even catch her notice until she was cornered by his looming body. Her blood sizzled in fear, her eyes widening while her personal space grew nonexistent. Her jaw clenched when his hand drew up to her hip, his lips moving so fast she couldn't tell the spell he was saying until her body froze, literally.

"I bet you bring your Slytherin pimps here to have some fun, don't you Granger," he said, his hands starting to trail over sides, while her eyes welled with tears.

This wasn't happening. It wasn't. It couldn't. Not again. And this seemed worse. Because this time she hadn't even put up a fight. She was trapped inside her own body, about to relive the worst experience of her life. She couldn't even beg for mercy, she couldn't scream for help..

Oh god...

His hand slipped under her skirt. And she couldn't even close her eyes, she had to look at him while he defiled her. A lone tear slipped down her cheek, but it was soon follow by others. _Help me, somebody please... _Would anyone come? Would anyone save her? Her skirt was pulled up and the sound of his zipper being pulled down was loud in her ears. Oh god, it was going to happen again...

But then he was ripped away. Pale fingers had grasped his upper arm and turned him around, his pants falling around his ankles, while he grunted at being punched in the gut.

Draco Malfoy would never look more like a white knight, then he did in that moment. His other fist swinging around and clipping Cormac across the face, before he pushed the other boy to the floor and kicked him in the rips. Then he turned to her. Her own mind hesitated as he stepped closer, and she panicked when she saw his hands coming forward.

He pulled her skirt down, and straightened her blouse that Cormac and ripped opened when he was feeling her up. Then he took out his wand and cast the counter-curse. _Finite, _never sounded sweeter then when it came from his lips.

Hermione's shoulders sagged and she let out the sob that hand been strangled up inside her throat since the moment Cormac cursed her. She didn't even know she had thrown herself at Malfoy and wound her arms around him in an embrace, until she felt his arms encircle her body.

"It's okay, Granger," his voice said, soothingly. If she'd been in any right state of mind she would have found it surprising. But her arms only tightened their hold, she didn't have any plans of letting go.

Her face pressed into his chest, her ear to his heart. She felt the rhythm, heard the furious _thump thump thump _of his heart. When he spoke, she closed her eyes and listened to that baritone that always left her heart weak. "What the bloody fuck do you think you are doing, McLaggen?" While his words weren't the sweetest, the venom in them were music to her ears. "Did you really think you could could get away with _rape_?"

While Cormac had been groaning on the floor, now a wheezing laugh came from his lips. "She's a whore, she would have been screaming my name by the end of it."

Hermione's arms tightened even more so when Malfoy made to move forward, her embrace stopping him. After a second though, it didn't take long for him to get his cool back. "How could she scream if she was in a full body-bind curse, you measly scum!"

"She's a mudblood!" Cormac insisted. "What does it matter what I did to her? You should know, Malfoy," he said, and started to push himself up to his feet.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco had to pry Hermione's hands off of him to get at the boys throat. Once his pale fingers had a grip on his throat he pushed him up against a bookshelf. "Don't you ever use that term in front of me. Rape isn't something you will get away with, not even attempting it. I hope you find Azkaban homey. Because I will be sure that you get room and board."

Cormac's eyes grew twice their natural size. "A-Azkaban," he gasped out, shaking his head. The movement a weird jerk as Draco held him tightly around the throat.

"Yes," Malfoy sneered, leaning in so he was eye-to-eye with Cormac. Silver to blue. Fierce and terrifying to weak and terrified. "I think you'll fit right in with the dirt that are held in those cells."

Cormac started pleading, and Draco could only roll his eyes as the sniveling boys attempts. How could most of the Hogwarts female popular think _this_ was a manly specimen? With his wand still in one hand, he sent a _patronus_ to the Headmaster's office, telling him to get to the library quick.

With a swift move, Draco cast the same spell McLaggen used with Hermione. Stepping back, he let him fall onto his side with a loud thud and then turned back towards the girl.

Her hair looked in disarray, as always. Her clothes making her look like the bookworm she was. He'd never seen something more beautiful. Her body was still as she looked onto McLaggen's body. Her head at a tilt and her eyes hallow. That mere look told him exactly what he had suspected when he first saw her at the beginning of summer. She had been assaulted and in the sexual means, and that made his blood boil. He wanted to kill the bastard who dared to touch her. But, there was no way of asking her. Not without bringing up the worst memories. And he wouldn't do that to her. He couldn't.

Before he could step forward and offer any sort of comfort, he heard footsteps. Then Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were on the scene. McGonagall led Hermione away, although not to the hospital wing, as Hermione refused. And Draco was left to tell what he walked in on, his voice ever short and clipped, but to the point and telling all.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Sorry guys! That was one hell of a long wait and I deeply apologize. Along with the holidays, I had gotten sick. But I am now better and have got a new chapter for you for the New Years. I know it might seem rushed, but, i've been wanting to get this chapter out for sometime. =) I hope you like it and I appreciate all of the reviews for the last chapter!

**Chapter 10**

_September 10th, 1996_

Her arms wrapped around her body, her own footsteps echoing in her ears. She was led down multiply corridors. Twists and turns, upstairs downstairs. She wasn't sure if it was deliberate or not, but she did know that she hoped to take a shower soon. She felt dirty and sick. Gray eyes were the only thing that was keeping her sane. They were the one thing she could think about that made the situation better. Her saviors eyes.

Professor McGonagall's voice spoke in a whisper, but loud enough for her to here clearly.

"_Marshmallows_."

The password was odd, and Hermione almost expected her Head of House to frown or roll her eyes. But she seemed to be reasonably angry. Hermione also noticed, the anger was not aimed at her.

She was ushered through the door, and she looked around with little interest. It looked very much like the Gryffindor common room, only it was smaller and it didn't have stairs.

"The staff have been thinking for some time that it might be better for you to have your own room, Miss Granger," McGonagall spoke, with the uncharacteristic gesture of wringing her hands. "But, we never thought that our students were capable of this cruelty."

Hermione looked to one of her mentors and saw that the older woman had tears in her eyes.

Stepping forward she hugged the professor. "It's okay, Professor."

There was a moment before she felt her embrace being reciprocated, with a humorless laugh. "It's not," McGonagall pulled back and looked down at her best pupil. "No one deserves the things you have gone through."

Hermione let her hands falls back to her sides and nodded. "Well, they've happened. No need to think of the what if's. I've changed so much over the summer. Cormac and everyone have a right to think differently of me."

McGonagall shook her head in disgust. "No. No one has the right to act in such ways without knowledge of the facts," she said, with a tone that said that was final. She cleared her throat and stood straighter, although still looked very much un-Professor-like, what with her being in a lilac robe and her hair in a matching bonnet. "Your bedroom is in through that door and the bathroom right there," she said pointing to each door.

Hermione nodded in understanding and they looked at each other for a moment.

"Goodnight, Miss Granger."

"Goodnight, Professor."

And the older woman was gone.

Hermione let out a shuddering breath when she was alone.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 11th, 1996_

He had made sure to wake up early the next morning. It was still dark out. Early enough for the professor to still be sleeping and the aurors yet to show up to take the culprit away. He pulled his jacket up on his shoulders and pulled it close to his chest. Looking over the other sleeping forms briefly, before he escaped into the common room.

It didn't take long to get up to the Hospital Wing. He made his presence known in the medi-witch's office, finding her gone. In bed still, thank God.

He walked along the single aisle, white linen wrapped beds lined up on either side of him. The last bed in the right corner though, was closed off with a white curtain-like room divider. His footsteps came more steadier now, with a purpose as he walked up to it, and peeked behind the divider.

He sneered at the sight.

How could someone condemned to Azkaban sleep like a baby?

As he got closer, he noticed the magic that held him securely to the bed. That, at least, made him feel better. He wasn't scared, he came here for a reason. But, then there was a hand on his shoulder and he jumped with a sharp look behind him. His eyes resizing three times larger.

Professor Snape was a man of stealth. Surely from all the years of his being a double agent.

The tall bat of a man only nodded after a long, hard stare. And left with a small squeeze of his hand to Draco's shoulder.

He understood.

Draco listened to the footsteps of his retreating head of house and the noise of the door closing softly. Only then did he look back to Cormac.

He stepped closer to the bed, his mind full of Unforgivables. But he knew the consequences for using those and he didn't dare. No. Even though Cormac deserved it. He wouldn't. It wasn't his place to take his life. That was in the hands of the Azkaban officials.

His fingers slowly curled into the boys shirt collar and lifted him up slowly to test just what magic was keeping him harnessed. Draco found he could maneuver the boy just enough to shake him awake. And he did so, viciously.

Cormac's blue eyes flickered open drowsily, but soon formed into frightened panic at the sight of the person who woke him. Draco didn't think such a sight could ever please him more. This was the stuff his father enjoyed.. No! His father hurt the innocent, just like Cormac did. Lucius and Cormac were just alike. Not him and Lucius. He would never be like his father. _Never_.

He looked down at the dirty blonde with utter distaste, remembering the way he'd found Hermione.

"You're going to die," he spat at the boy. "Do you here me. I will do everything in my power to make sure your sentence will end in death."

Before Cormac could respond, Draco allowed himself to vent his anger. His happy fist meeting Cormac's face once again. "You will tell the truth when you meet with the bloody Wizengamot. If you don't and I find out, I will be sure to get you another hearing with you under Vertiserum. Do you _understand_ me?"

When Cormac only whimpered at his now bloody lip, Draco raised his fist again, his knuckles shattering the blonde boys eyebrow. "Yes!" Cormac yelled, nodding his head vigorously as he started to weep from the pain in his face.

"You disgust me. You can take pleasure in rape, but you cry like a baby when met with a fist," Draco wrenched his hand away from Cormac as if touching him for too long would contaminate him.

He stepped back and looked at the blood trailing down from Cormac's busted lip and eyebrow, tears coming from his blue eyes and mixing with the red.

Draco shook his head, spitting on the floor before he left the cubicle and headed back to the dungeons for a couple more hours of sleep, before breakfast.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione was confused when she woke up the next morning. Looking about herself and finding herself in a single room that she hadn't ever been in before. It took a couple moment before the memories of last night came back to her. Cormac and his _needs_. She shuddered and brought her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs close and trying to find comfort.

But, someone had saved her before the unthinkable could happen.

_Malfoy_.

The safety she felt when he had arrived had been earth shattering. He had made her feel whole in that moment. She thought her sudden feelings – or more like acceptance of his person – was scary. But, she hadn't felt whole since before summer. He'd made that happen by protecting her.

She got up and tip-toed into the next room that was decorated much like any common room. Finding the bathroom, next. She took the best shower she'd had, scrubbing off Cormac's wandering touch and remembering Malfoy righting her clothes.

When she was dressed she went down stairs for breakfast. It had to be early because very little people were up. Some of the staff, a couple Ravenclaw's. Even her Slytherin's weren't up, yet.

She slumped into a stool and then felt a touch to her shoulder. Her head snapping back to see a pale hand, and her gaze followed up the arm to find Snape's face. "P-Professor?" she asked, unsure.

The man's face was as stoic as ever. Devoid of any emotion. "Mr. McLaggen has just been escorted to Azkaban," he told her with a dip of his head.

Her face went lax and she watched as his hand fell away from her. His robes billowing as he turned on his heel.

"Professor Snape," she called after him, sitting up a little more.

He turned slowly, his eyebrow delicately inching upwards.

"Thank you," she said, her voice getting quieter with the end of her words, her eyes wide with the gratitude she felt towards him. Her words had a deeper meaning, and she saw the effect they had on him when his face turned in shock.

He nodded once, diverting his gaze, before he turned back towards the staff table and she watched him until he took his seat.

Hermione's breakfast had been a silent one. Malfoy had shown up first, only a few minutes after she had spoken to Snape. Then people gradually filled the empty benches in the Great Hall.

She heard whispers and felt the stares, obviously word had gotten around. And it was only breakfast. Pansy asked her if she was alright.

"Yeah, Malfoy showed up just before..." she looked to the blonde boy and he was staring at his plate with a frown. "But, I'll be fine."

"Yes, thank god I showed up," Malfoy sneered, looking around at all his friends.

Hermione found her lap quite interesting in that moment, frowning. He had been so considerate, and now he was back to being an arse. She heard Pansy and Theo getting onto him. And then Ginny came around and sat down, interrupting the fight that would have only gotten worse.

After breakfast, she went through the normal school routine, only in every class she was given the most sincere apologies. Parvati even cried through hers in Potions, which cost her some points. Of course, Hermione earned those back.

When her last class ended, she gave Seamus a small smile in understanding. Although she felt that if any other rumor was brought up about her, every single person who doubted her would just do the same as they did. Blame her, then shun her.

Turning around she sighed, just wanting to get back to her new rooms. She just wanted to get away from everything and fall onto her bed and sleep, perhaps with a dreamless sleep potion. So, she definitely needed to make a pit stop at the hospital wing.

"Hermione!" her name was shouted and she pivoted around to see two boys running. Their feet clambering down the hall towards her, and making unnecessary noise. Her heart immediately started to beat harder in her chest when she saw those familiar glasses and then those freckles she once thought were so adorable.

She hugged her books close to her chest as she stared at them, warily. She'd gotten so many apologies and excuses today, she was nervous about what _they_ had to say to her.

"'Mione," Harry breathed out heavily, trying to catch his breath, while Ron was bent over, his hands on his hips as he breathed hard with a stupid smile on his face. "We're so sorry."

Hermione's eyes grew at that, every 'sorry' she'd gotten hadn't meant as much. But hearing Harry say it, made her want to throw her arms around him.

"Yeah, we've been bloody idiots," Ron said through a gush of air. "I mean, maybe not all of the Slytherin's are Death Eaters and..."

"Ron," Harry shook his head at his red headed friend with a frown. "Shut up." Hermione's lips quirked at that and she looked at them both, before her gaze settled on Harry, as he started to talk. "We've just been incredibly stupid, we should have trusted you. If Cormac can do... what he did, then the Slytherin's have got to have a good bone in them. Not all of them, but maybe a few- umph!" Hermione threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight. Waving a hand for Ron to join and as he moved closer she hugged them both to her and started to cry.

"Aw, 'Mione..." Ron said, getting uncomfortable with her tears, but they continued to hold her until her tears stopped.

She had her friends. They were back, they accepted things...

God, she hoped nothing would come along to ruin this.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 15th, 1996_

It was Sunday and Hermione's life finally started getting back to normal. Or as normal as it could get. Harry and Ron were a little hesitant about cohorting with any of the Slytherin's. But, she saw that they were keeping control of their true feelings, and slowing seeing that Theo, Pansy, Blaise, and Malfoy were all good. Even though Malfoy was still an arse.

She wanted some time to herself, and for that she went down to the lake just before dinner and sat down on the grass. The cold weather making her chill, but she liked snuggling inside her coat.

Some noise off to her right had her looking over.

_Malfoy_.

She watched as he slowly walked over and then sat down next to her. Leaning back on the palm's of his hands with his legs stretched out before him.

The silence between them went on for what seemed like hours and Hermione was back to looking out towards the lake, watching the Giant Squid hunting for food. Taking in calm breathes, loving how his presence made her feel whole. Like nothing was wrong.

"Thank you," she spoke quietly.

She could see him looking at her out of her peripheral vision, and she knew without even looking that his elegant eyebrow was high on his forehead in question. Hermione looked at him, the slightest of smiles on her face as she took in his pale features. "For saving-" at the frown on his face, she decided a change of word was best. "Okay, _helping_ me. Thank you."

He turned his face back towards the lake, giving her sight of his handsome profile. "It was nothing."

Hermione shook her head. "It was everything," she spoke in a whisper and she ducked her head down when he looked back at her with a look of shock written all over his face.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 16th, 1996_

After all of her classes, Hermione had the most horrible headache, and before dinner she knew she needed to go to the hospital wing. Otherwise, it would only get worst.

Stepping into Madam Pomfrey's office, she cleared her throat and watched the older woman looking up, a small smile coming onto her face. "Well, I was getting worried about you. I haven't seen you around for some time, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled a little, which was a huge improvement from a few weeks ago. "I just came by to get something for a headache, and maybe some more Dreamless Sleep?"

"Oh," Madam Pomfrey frowned a little and stood up from her desk, hurrying over towards a shelf of potions. "I thought you were coming for the Menstrual potion," she said turning back towards Hermione and handing her the potions she requested.

Hermione was confused for only a second, before her eyes widened. "Th-thank you, Madam-" she couldn't get much more out, before she was running out of the hospital wing, ignoring the call of her name. She clutched the potions to her chest as she ran down corridor after corridor. Passing students and faculty.

She entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, dropping the potions on the ground, listening to the vials break, but not caring. She closed herself inside a stall. Pulling her skirt and underwear down, only to find her panties clean. Not a speck of blood. It was the 16th, she should have been on her monthly by now..

_Oh god... _

The tears came before she could comprehend them, large sobs escaping her as she covered her face with her hands. No, this wasn't happening. She wiped at her eyes after a couple moment, trying to get rid of the dampness. Uh-huh. Nothing was wrong, she would give it a couple more days and she'd be fine.

Nothing was wrong.

Nothing at all...


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: Apologies for not posting anything sooner and thank you's to everyone who reviewed. Hermione being too forgiving was planned. Because- well, I guess I shouldn't give anything away for this chapter or future ones, now should I? Any way, the Death Eater's name will be arriving. How sooner and in what chapter? I'm unsure. Some may be a little disappointed about Hermione's future, but it was in the cards in the very beginning. This note is very secretive and doesn't give much, but that's all I can say about the story. On another note, the poll is still open for anyone who hasn't voted. And if you already have just shout out one of the ships in a review. (_PSSSSSST... Already Planning for another Hermione/Draco..._)

**Chapter 11**

_September 21st, 1996_

Days passed and Hermione threw herself into her homework, so she wouldn't drive herself crazy. She became reserved once again. Not so much that she didn't talk to anyone. She just didn't put herself into conversations much... She had to be dragged into them. Not only were her inner thoughts dragging her down into a pit of turmoil, but Harry and Ron kept being insistent about keeping away from the Slytherin's.

After their apologies, she had thought maybe they could all get along well. Sit together and eat lunch... Take the weekends and go to the lake for the day. But that was just too much to hope for, now wasn't it?

Another morning she was walking down to breakfast, meeting Harry and Ron at the doors of the Great Hall. Pleasant greeting were spoken, but this time while Harry and Ron began to walk towards the Gryffindor table she caught both of their arms with a frown.

"Please, you two," she asked, she had too much on her plate, too much to think about. She needed them now, more than ever, even if they didn't know it.

Ron looked to his shoes, obviously trying not to speak, and Hermione looked to Harry when the golden boy sighed. "Harry..."

"We can't 'Mione..." Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders and a grimace on his face when he glanced past her shoulder. "We try to be civil for you. But sitting with them..."

"It's just not going to happen," Ron finished for his mate, looking up.

Hermione nodded, not liking what she heard at all and letting go of them. "Fine," she nearly spat, quietly. Turning around on her heal, she sulked back towards the table she'd sat at since she had shown up at Hogwarts this year. Not all of the Slytherin's welcomed her with open arms, but four did with smiles on their faces.

She sat down, giving them all a small smile, but she knew they were worried. Even Malfoy, though, he was still as emotionless as ever. They hadn't spoken since there night out by the lake, and she had nothing to say now. But his incessant staring told her he was worried.

She turned to the boy she sat next to, as he huffed. "Something wrong, Theo?" she asked, taking a drink of her pumpkin juice.

Of course, he didn't waste any time in telling her just what was on his mind. "I just don't understand how you can forgive them so easily. When you were at your worst they didn't give a damn, none of those precious Gryffindor's gave a damn," he only paused when Ginny cleared her throat and raised a ginger eyebrow. To which, his frown fell immediacy and was replaced with a smirk. "Well, aside from you, Ginny," he said, giving her a wink that caused the ginger haired girl to blush.

"They were the first friends I made when I came to Hogwarts," Hermione told them, regretfully getting the attention turned back to her. "The first people who accepted me for who I was," she continued, her throat getting tight. "We have a bond, just as I have a bond with all of you," she said, looking to each one of them. Pansy, Theo, Blaise, Ginny, and finally Malfoy. And it was true, just because they decided to believe a rumor rather than her, didn't mean she had to give up on them. She was giving them another chance, trusting in them that they wouldn't abandon her once again, if the time ever came.

And hopefully, if or when she ever found the truth that she was pregnant or not, they would stay at her side. She hoped her faith in them wasn't for nothing. She really did.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 22nd, 1996_

Hermione woke up to another day, another Sunday. And her hands were flat on her stomach. She looked down, her expression full of distaste. If she was carrying a child it was the child of a Death Eater, the one and only person she'd ever been with. The person who took her parents and innocence away from her in one night with a chuckle from his throat and a grin on his face. She swallowed back the bile that rose, how could she be a mother at such a young age.

No! She wouldn't think of it!. A couple more days, maybe another week. Her monthly never came on record time.

She wasn't going to be a teenage mother. She wasn't going to give birth to her rapist's child.

She would marry a nice man. She would have his children in years to come. Once the war was over. Once the wizarding world was put back together and she was working for the Ministry and the Order in secret.

Yes, but that was only a fantasy wasn't it. Her nice man had blonde hair so bright one would have thought it white, his eyes a stormy cloud of gray, his skin the palest of alabaster.

Her nice man, her knight in shining armor... She would never marry him. No matter how much she had learned about him. Nor how far apart he was from the people who harmed her the most. She never got what she wanted, she'd strive and strive and come up empty handed. She might be a know-it-all. But, where would that get her? No where, that was where.

She threw the covers off and sat up, rubbing her hands over her face, before she got up and got ready for the day. Diverting her thoughts, into who she would spend time with, and how she could split it between her friends. She was sure that if Harry and Ron just gave the Slytherin's a chance... But, no. They wouldn't. The little gits.

When she was dressed and she spell dried her hair, she headed down to the Great Hall. Only once she got to the doors, she turned and headed out of the castle. She wasn't hungry and she really just wanted to be alone. She thought maybe the lake could give her some peace. Everyone knew to find her there though. And as much as she would like to be found my a certain blonde haired boy, she needed some time by herself.

So that's why she sat on top of a hill away from the castle. She could see Hagrid's hut just off in the distance; the man tending to his pumpkins and his dog, Fang, following after him like a lost puppy.

With a deep, long sigh, Hermione looked to her hand. Eying the crease of her life-line. It was strong without a single hair fracture to show it would end any time soon. And while at one time she was dead set for it, ready to meet her maker... Now she only had those thoughts when she remembered that frightening and horrible day.

Well, maybe she thought about it a little more now.

She glanced to her stomach and the tears came almost immediately. Covering her face, hiding her emotions from the sun that peeked out from behind the clouds, while she sobbed mercilessly into her palms. She tried so hard to keep the 'what if's' back. But, what if she **was** pregnant? And what if _he_ found out? He was still out there. Still working for the dark side. Most likely gloating about his deeds. God, why? Why her? Why her family?

She knew why. She was one of the best friends of Harry Potter. And while she thought she was part of his strength, if Harry _ever_ found out what happened to her, he would barge into something and get himself killed. She would be his greatest weakness. She could see the headlines now: _'The Girl Who Let Harry Potter Die' , 'The Chosen One's Weakness', 'Why The-Boy-Who-Lived Is Now The Boy-Who-Died'_...

She cried harder at the image of Harry dead. She would never forgive herself, ever, if he died and it was her fault. He'd never know of what happened. He couldn't.

Hermione jumped when she felt warmth about her shoulders. Her frightened look soften at the sight of Theo. She could practically smell the worry that rolled off of him. The poor guy, but she probably looked liked she was having a mental breakdown. Hell, she might as well be.

The tears didn't stop, she just turned into Theo. Clinging to him, as she cried into his chest. His arms circled around her, holding her close. He was probably one of the best friends she'd ever had. Right up there with Harry and Ron. Even more so, if she really thought about it, but she was too busy thinking of the 'what if's'.

Theo ran his hand up and down her back, soothingly. She fed off of his comfort, bringing it into herself. Until the sobs subsided, the tears dried, and she was just left in Theo's arms, as he kissed the top of her head and spoke soft words of the greatest comfort.

He didn't ask her if she was okay. Didn't even bother asking what was wrong. And she loved him for it. Her and Theo were much more alike then they would ever notice. They suffered quietly and to themselves. They didn't allow others to know their pain, only to see it. They were both stripped of their innocence before they were properly ready. And while they didn't feel romantically for one another, it didn't stop them from holding each other.

_**/-/-/-/**_

He watched her from afar. Highly aware he was acting very much like a stalker. But, _bloody hell_, he was worried about her. Then one of his best mates came around, and he frowned. It was immediate. He'd always noticed the way they were around each other. Like they knew each other from the inside out.

And he was fired up with jealousy.

Especially as he watched Theo take her into his arms as she continued to cry. His wand almost drew blood when the wood bit into his hand from his grip.

_Dammit._

He hated how he felt so fucking jealous. How he noticed every touch and glance that other boys gave her. He also noticed her responses. She was jumpy with the other boy who surrounded her. Except with Theo. She always allowed Theo to touch her and comfort her.

And goddamn it, he was a bloody fucking mess over it.

Why didn't she allow him?

And that question was easily answered. Well, because he always switched attitude's with her, that's why. He was nice for one second and then a cold hearted son of a bastard the next.

Slowly he turned away, almost getting sick of the sight. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to be there for her when she felt like her life was turning upside down. He wanted to be confused because she wouldn't speak about whatever it was that was bothering her.

But, no.

Theo seemed to be doing a very fine job.

It was when he'd been in the Slytherin common room for a while and watched Theo walk inside shaking his head with worry and concentration. Most likely trying to figure out what was wrong with Hermione. He knew nothing would happen between the two of them. He knew that Theo only held onto brotherly affections for the bushy haired girl (that had seemingly gotten under his skin) and that he was currently having doe eyes for one Miss Ginevra Weasley.

Of course, that didn't stop what came shooting out of his mouth the moment Theo plopped down onto one of the black leather chairs. "Creased brow, lips pinched," Draco drawled, his voice full of nothing good. "I'm guessing she didn't let you fuck her, hm?"

There was no immediate reaction. Did Nott really grow a set and learn to ignore him for once, instead of trying to start up some cat fight? With that thought he knew he was a ponce, a dick, a horrible friend even.

Slowly Theo's head turned towards him, his face it's normal color, but his look was absolutely murderous and very much like his Aunt Bellatrix's. So, the bitch had imprinted some attributes to the boy after all. Yeah, fucking dick. Draco knew exactly was he was.

"Go stick a broom up your ass, _Malfoy_," he said in a low hiss, that was even scary to him. Then the other boy stood and stalked to the dormitories.

Draco sighed and looked down to the book opened up in his lap. God, what was wrong with him that he couldn't just be nice? Did the Imperious have lasting damage. He didn't feel trapped in his own mind. He only felt completely ashamed of himself for the things that poured out of his mouth.

Especially when he was well aware of the horrors that had happened to Theo.

Slowly his quill moved away from his homework parchment and moved to the Potions book, scratching the words 'DRACO MALFOY IS A HEARTLESS DICK' into the top left-hand corner, placing spells on it so the page could never rip or the ink ever removed. What he was needed to be documented. A memento to anyone who came across it.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 23rd, 1996_

Another breakfast, another day.

Hermione passed through the Great Hall doors and then suddenly stopped, turning on her heal and walking over towards the Gryffindor table where Harry and Ron had just taken a seat. She didn't care that people were looking at her, some maybe hoping she'd sit with her own people for once.

She was going through hell at the moment, too much bloody crap on her plate and not enough mentality to deal with it all. She stopped behind them and tapped them both on the shoulder. Their smiles and 'Hey Hermione's' flew past her and she shushed them with a hard look.

"You know, I'm so sick of this. You say one thing to get back my friendship, and then you completely turn the other cheek when I go over to that table," she said pointing behind her to the Slytherin Table where she knew her other friends were watching her from. "Like during meals I don't exit. I've been through so much with the both of you. You can't even imagine what this summer has been like. But, you wouldn't even know, now would you? Because you couldn't even recognize that I was nothing but a shell of what I used to be when I only said I was fine. If you don't get you're acts together, and make some progress with the house unity that I seem to be the only one lending any to the Slytherin's-" she said and this time she raised her voice and looked around to the other tables, catching Ginny's eye. "Besides Ginny Weasley", she added, before her heated gaze returned to the two boys who had just wanted to eat breakfast. "Then I don't know why we're even friends," she spoke more quietly.

She walked off, leaving both of them with their mouths hanging open, and the tables murmuring. But, she didn't care. Maybe she snapped a little dramatically.

But if the boys didn't even ask about her summer after this.

She was done.

She wanted to protect them. There was a very good reason for protecting them.

But, would they protect her and step up to the plate and really be her friend when they now knew something was up.

She knew she was done if they didn't. She also knew that if they did ask... She would lie.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: SO SORRY! OMG! IT'S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE I'VE UPDATED THIS! FORGIVE ME? PLEASE? Anyway... NEXT CHAPTER! I hope this is alright. I hope you all enjoy. Is Hermione pregnant? Well, you'll find out in this chapter.

**Chapter 12**

_September 28th 1996_

Hermione sat quietly in the library on a Saturday trying to get her homework done, and it seemed she wasn't the only one. Other students, mainly Ravenclaw's, were milling about. Taking books and trying to get things done so they could possibly have a moment to themselves later on and a free Sunday. While other students were going to rush at the last minute, getting a poor grade or failing completely. Oh well.

She sighed to herself as she flipped through her potions text. Scouring down a list of ingredients for the Draught of Living Death. Her birthday had come and past, with her barely knowing. She was now seventeen, and the only way she had even known the day of her birth had popped up, was the hugs and well wishes from her only friends now; Pansy, Theo, Blaise, Ginny, and Luna. Malfoy had given her some sort of nod, but other than that...

She was grateful there wasn't some big birthday bash, that someone had taken into account how much she hated celebrating the day of her birth. It was just a day, and she wasn't fond of opening presents. Even more so now that she didn't have her parents around.

She looked up when she heard some guys goofing off while they came into the library. About ready to shush them, until she saw just who they were. Harry and Ron also paused when they noticed her. They didn't have to be shushed after all. They quietened, and then hung their heads before going on their merry way, pushing each other as they now goofed silently.

They hadn't even tried to talk to her after her outburst in the great hall. She thought maybe the next couple of meals would be held in silence. But, days past and they just looked at her then looked away. She felt betrayed. She felt abandoned... Those boys had been her best friends for almost six years, they'd been through so much, and they didn't even care. They didn't even want to know what had happened to her.

It hurt. It really did. How could they? How could they just give up on her after what happened with Cormac? After they knew that something terrible had almost happened with that boy. Had that been too much, that they didn't want to hear the rest?

She tossed the thought of them away. She couldn't deal with it. She was done. Too much was already on her plate. Anymore wallowing on the loss and she'd take something sharp to her skin. She had friends. One's who actually cared and defended her, who stuck with her when everyone was calling her a whore.

She smiled when Pansy and Blaise plopped down into the seats in front of her and Luna took the one beside her. They whispered small greetings and Blaise muttered something about taking a bludger to some heads. She didn't have to look to see just whose heads he was referring to. Because she too wanted to do just the same at the moment. But, then Luna's dreamy smile calmed her and she put herself back into her work.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione finally left the library when dinner came around. Her stomach was churning and in need of food. It was the only thing that made since when she was trying not to think about what it really could be. It was a horrific thought and she just wanted to cast it away, like it was a nightmare and not a possible reality.

She sat at the end of the Slytherin table with her only friends surrounding her. The only people she knew who really cared.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Theo push a lock of hair behind Ginny's ear, only for the redhead to blush as bright as her hair. The scene was so sweet, so utterly intimate and private that Hermione felt guilty for looking.

Her stomach grumbled silently when her food appeared. Mistaking it for hunger, she took her first bite. The smell and taste hit her like an Unforgivable. The potato in her mouth laying on her tongue, only it wasn't a savory taste, and the smell... It nearly knocked her over with sickness. Slowly she spit it out in her napkin, getting worried glances from her friend.

"'Mione, are you okay?"

"She's turning green."

"I think she's gonna be sick..."

Hermione jumped up and ran from the table and out of the Great Hall. She barely made it out the front doors and into the night air before she bent over violently, coughing up and gagging on the food she'd eaten that morning, now acidic and vile.

She flinched when she felt a touch on her back, and then felt her hair being pulled back from her face by nimble fingers. She had half a mind to pull away from whoever was helping her, but she couldn't. Not until it was over. And even then she was surprised by who was helping her, even though he was in her group of friends. Blaise Zabini's brown (nearly black) eyes penetrated her and she could almost feel his worry.

Before she could wipe her mouth with the back of her hand, he held out a handkerchief for her to take.

"Thanks," she said, quietly and dabbed her mouth. Feeling embarrassed and self-conscious under his scrutiny. She found the embroidery on the cloth interesting and traced the intricately sewn letters with her thumb. '_B.M.Z_'.

"Are you alright, Hermione," he asked her, his voice soft, but inquisitive. It seemed to soothe her in a way, but not enough to make her look at him.

"I'm fine," her reply was rather curt, much more stern then she had intended.

"You know, people always seem to say that when their not," Blaise told her and she was again surprised by his tone, by his very appearance of being there with her now. Instead of lashing back with a fiery retort, his voice was smooth and gentle. "You have friends, we're here for you."

She looked up when she heard his retreating footsteps and the sound of the large doors closing behind him. Now, all alone, she couldn't help thinking; _Yeah, for how long?_

_**/-/-/-/**_

_September 30th, 1996_

Two days later Hermione was struggling with her nausea. Of course it was a Monday and she was in Potions listening to Professor Slughorn droll on and on about how wonderful Harry's potion was and all she wanted to do at the moment was vomit. She knew she wasn't sick. She knew it. But she couldn't handle the thought that she was with child, and a _Death Eater's _child at that. One who killed her parents and then... and then...

She slapped a hand over her mouth and stood up from her seat next to Lavender.

"Hermione?"

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione didn't listen to her name being called or the ruckus that filled the room after she ran out of it, trying to make it to the lavatory, but having to duck behind a statue instead. One hand holding her up against the cemented figure while her breakfast was forced out of her stomach.

"Oh, that is horrid!" A painting yelled, appalled. "You should have better manners than that, girl!"

Hermione didn't look up, her eyes shut tightly as she battled the rolling waves of nausea, taking deep breathes and counting back from ten.

"Leave the girl alone Maphius," a woman's voice scolded the other. "She's obviously not well."

She heard a unhappy 'hmph' follow that and then silence.

Oh, the silence was wonderful, but the stench of what her stomach just produced was rank and she was once again bent over.

No, she wasn't sick. She did not have the flu. As much as she wished she was dying from an incurable illness, she wasn't. She could take the terrible news of dying from the plague or maybe a dark curse, but the thought of being _pregnant_ only made her sick again.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Lunch time came around and Hermione found herself in her rooms, snuggled up in her bed. She wondered if the gossip mill started yet. Undoubtedly, Lavender had told nearly everyone she knew about what had happened in Potions. The girl couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. Which brought up the fact that no important information should ever be confided to her during the impending war, because she wouldn't be able to keep her trap shut if captured.

Hermione only felt a pinch of guilt for that thought. But, it no sooner faded away when Ginny and Pansy both walked into her room. The looks on their face told her everything. Lavender sure did work quick.

She was quiet as they sat down on the edges of the bed on either side her her, caging her in, not allowing her an escape. She sighed and her eyes nearly started watering then and there. Her fingers itched to pull at a loose threat on her shirt.

"Are you pregnant?" The first question sounded forced and Hermione looked to Ginny, the tears shining in her brown eyes as the redhead looked overly worried. She shrugged her shoulders. While she guessed she was, she still wasn't positive.

"Cormac?" Pansy asked, but before either girl could start going on about him, Hermione shook her head. Cormac hadn't gotten far enough. "The attack this summer, then?"

Hermione's nod was a tight jerk and she wiped away the couple of tears that slid down her cheeks silently.

"Hermione, what happened this summer?" It was Ginny again and while the redhead knew about Hermione's parents and that something else had happened, no one knew the details.

There was a long moment of hesitation, but when Hermione did open her mouth she couldn't stop. Tears flowed freely now as she told, in great detail, what happened to her. Everything. How they killed her parents, how she was beaten and broken down, only to be defiled and beaten some more for good measure.

Pansy and Ginny both had red faces and tear stained cheeks as they cocooned Hermione between them and rocked her, until there were no more tears for any of them to cry.

"Who was the Death Eater, 'Mione?" Pansy asked, stroking Hermione's hair like a mother would her child.

But she couldn't say it, she couldn't speak his name. She shook her head and turned into Ginny's embrace as the youngest Weasley looked over to Pansy. The both of them utterly overwhelmed with the severity of what Hermione was put through and powerless as to what to do. They didn't have a name, so they couldn't go after him, and what could two teenage girls do, exactly? Well, if they thought about it long enough, they'd find a way and make a plan.

When Hermione woke up the next morning, Pansy was sitting at the end of the bed and Ginny was looking over a tray of food. It was a... Tuesday. What were they doing just sitting around? Looking to her clock she jumped up. What was she doing still in bed at nine-thirty? They all had classes they needed to get to. She didn't bother speaking to either of them, rushing about to find some clean robes and then checking her hair in the mirror quickly, before deciding it was a lost cause anyway.

She picked up her book bag and was finally stopped as she closed in on the door.

"Hermione." Pansy stood in front of the door now, arms crossed.

"I have classes," she said, not looking her in the eye. She hadn't forgotten about the night before and now she was afraid they would treat her differently. Why wouldn't they? What stopped them from acting like Harry and Ron?

"We talked to Dumbledore," said Ginny.

Hermione's head snapped up and she glared at her redheaded friend. "How dare you? How dare you tell him anything!" she screeched, her face nearly crimson with a growing rage.

"We didn't tell him anything," Pansy added quickly. "The old quack already knew."

Hermione's shoulders stayed tense, but only for a moment. They soon went slack and she backed up and sat down on her bed, holding her head in her hands.

"He said he talked to all of your Professors," Ginny began again. "You don't have to go to class..."

She raised her head to look at her friends, knowing their was a 'but' coming.

"...but, you have to see Madam Pomfrey."

She started shaking her head before Ginny could finish the sentence. "No, I can't," she said. "I can't. Because then if I see her. She will just confirm it and that will make it real. It will make it_ real_. I don't want it to be real," she said, unable to stop the sudden tears. "I don't want... I don't want to carry a Death Eater's _child_! I don't want a part of _him_ in me!"

There was a heavy silence after that, aside from Hermione's sobs. Both girls looked at each other, unable to hide their own tears, and also not wanting to be the one's to tell Hermione it was illegal to 'rid' herself of the child. A sentence that would be a wizards lifetime in Azkaban, and if she went crazy after a hundred years she would be taken to Scarlett Shadows Insane Asylum for Witches and Wizards.

Pansy stepped forward and Hermione felt the bed indent beside her. "You'll have to go sooner or later. There's no use in prolonging it."

Hermione shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut, as she tilted her face to the ceiling, hugging her book bag close to her chest.

"Not today. Okay? Just... Not today."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_October 4th, 1996_

Hermione didn't go to Madam Pomfrey that day. Or the next day. Or the day after that. If took her a couple more days and a couple more insistent urges from Ginny and Pansy before she ever started on the path to the Hospital wing. She didn't want to bring anyone with her. She could only handle one pitying face, to which would be Madam Pomfrey. She didn't want to see her friends look at her like that too. Though, she was sure when they found out, they would anyway.

She sighed when she got to the door and she stared at it for the longest time. Debating on turning around and running back to her room. Her fingers played with the hem of her school shirt. Gulping lightly when she heard the nurse's voice on the other side. It was now or never, wasn't it? There was no one else to go to. It was better to get it over with, if she took Pansy's words into consideration. She looked down at her stomach, still flat, nothing there. No movement to make her feel otherwise. Slowly she rested her hand over the place where there was possibly, unquestionably, without a doubt, a child. Growing. A Death Eater's child. A rapist's child. A murderer's child.

Once again she ran over to a statue and lost her lunch. The sound of her retching obviously bringing the attention of Hogwart's nurse. Hermione never truly knew how soft and soothing Madam Pomfrey's hands were until they were holding her hair back and caressing her neck.

"Oh, you poor child. I feared this."

When Hermione finally cooled down, she was led into the Hospital wing and sat up on a bed in the private room for special cases. She felt numb now, as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand about casting charms and the like. At one time Hermione would have been interested in the incantations. But now she was just... Tired.

When the woman stopped, Hermione looked into eyes that were pools of pity. The very look she detested in her friends.

She glanced back to her knees.

"Is there anything you can do?" she asked. When she was met with silence she continued. "A magical abortion or... Is there anything?" She wasn't surprised when she felt the tears form in her eyes and she looked at Madam Pomfrey for her answers.

The older woman shook her head. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger. Abortion is illegal in the magical community. The only thing to do is-"

"No!" Hermione shook her head, unable to stop the shout, or the fountain of tears. Covering her faace with her hands as she cried.

"Oh dear..." Madam Pomfrey moved forward and embraced Hermione. "I'm so sorry. If I could I would. You do not deserve any of this."

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco hadn't meant to eavesdrop. No, he hadn't meat to do that at all. But, when he saw Madam Pomfrey leading Hermione into 'the room', he couldn't help but follow. Just what was going on? He'd noticed something was wrong. She wasn't eating right, one. Two, her complexional was paler than normal. And three, Blaise had told him of the incident when she was puking her guts out.

He didn't understand the spells the medi-witch was casting, they were foreign to him. Not the usual healing spells and charms. But then he heard _her_ voice.

"_Is there anything you can do? A magical abortion or..._"

Draco nearly fell through the door when he heard that, his grip on the frame sliding and he caught himself before he could make a fool of his person. _An abortion? _Hermione Granger was pregnant? His- No! Potter and Weasel's Granger was pregnant?

"_No!_"

Her shout echoed around him, obviously this was not good news.

"_Oh dear... I'm so sorry. If I could I would. You do not deserve any of this._"

The tone of the old witch's voice and the soft sobs from Granger told him all he needed to know. Someone hurt her. Someone hurt Hermione really bad. The look on his face was horrific. Absolutely terrifying. If he still bullied the poor youngsters of Hogwart's they would be running in fear.

**TBC**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Chapter 13! Yay, got this up and going and it didn't take too long! Thank you all for your reviews, they fueled me to get this up and you all are so amazing! Since I was thinking my writing was complete and utter shit... Ahem, I mean a failure! You've all made me think otherwise. Now as for who the Death Eater will be... I've given some thought into it being Lucius or even Nott. But then I couldn't see how Hermione would be able to look at either Draco or Theo without thinking about what happened immediately. I've had a Death Eater in mind since the beginning. But now, as my plot is furthering there is a couple I've realized I could use. If you have any thoughts as to who, other than Lucius and Nott, please divulge! I need the help in deciding! Even though I am leaning towards one, more than the others on my list.

**Chapter 13**

_October 14th, 1996_

While Ginny and Pansy had guessed she was pregnant, the rest of Hogwarts hadn't made that connection. But Hermione could see the girls whispering. Lavender and her merry gossipers, huddled at meals in the Great Hall or along the corridors. Romilda Vane and her brood doing much the same. She had her support though, and not one rumor had been started... Yet.

Hermione knew Ginny and Pansy hadn't uttered a word to the boys, as they were as carefree and happy as ever. Aside from Malfoy, who's scowl seemed more prominent than the week or so before.

She had been so distraught after her visit with Madam Pomfrey, that for a few days she'd gone back to being mute, just as she had when she'd arrived that summer. She'd been given potions for the morning sickness, why-ever it was called that she had no idea. Since the sickness seemed to come around whenever it felt like it. She also started taking potions to get the nutrients she and the _baby_ needed, as well as a calming draught every other hour.

While her visits to Madam Pomfrey she was forced to use the word baby, Hermione secretly would call it, It. She didn't want _it_ to be a little human being. She didn't want_ it_ to be born and have those sparkling blue eyes every baby had. Or for _it_ to be soft and cuddly. She didn't want to have a bond with _it_. Whenever she thought about _it_, she saw _him_. She couldn't stand being plagued by _him_ anymore than she already was. And this _thing_, would remind her of _him_ for the rest of her life.

And that was when she made the decision that she wasn't going to think about it any longer. Not now, anyway. Her stomach was still flat, her morning sickness was taken care of by the potion and she wanted to act and think as normally as she could. She wanted to be herself again. Not just how she had been lately, she wanted to be the Hermione Granger before 'the incident'.

She wanted Harry and Ron, but that thought always hardened her. Made her remember that they didn't want her.

_They abandoned you, remember? _

When she needed them most, they left her to be ridiculed. To be attacked by the Hogwarts masses. For that, could she truly call them friends any longer? No. No, she could not. She had friends, and they stuck up for her and supported her through everything since the beginning of school. They were all the friends she needed.

She did not need Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

She would not forgive them.

Time could only tell their outcome.

Time could only tell whether or not she could live with herself and a baby she didn't know if she could love.

Seven months time, anyway.

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione jumped at the sound of Professor Snape's voice, it nearly blowing out her eardrum with the man's closeness, his breathe coasting over her neck. Instinctively, she pushed him back, her stool clattering to the ground as she stood, eyes wide and her fingers itching for her wand, before she realized she was in class. She had nearly aimed at her teacher! And worse, she wasn't paying attention!

She wanted to be normal, but how could she when she tried so hard not to think about things that she ended up thinking about them anyway? Really. She wished someone could answer that for her, because she was at an impasse. Completely at a dead end as to what to do.

"So sorry, Professor," she hurried to say, before she fumbled with righting her chair and sitting back down. She waited for his lecture, for his baritone to hark in on her being such a know-it-all that she probably thought it inconceivable to listen to him any longer. She waited for Gryffindor to lose points. She waited. And waited a little longer, staring down at her Defense Against the Dark Arts text. They were learning about the Imperius Curse? She frowned. When had her mind wandered, exactly?

Snape didn't say anything and Hermione didn't look at him expectantly. He merely walked back to where he had been, resuming his teachings at the board. She was curious, but also very grateful that he didn't yell at her, because, quite frankly, she was sure she would burst into tears if he did.

When the class ended, she had eventually caught on to the concept of the lesson and left knowing exactly what the homework entailed. She only worried about the four Slytherin's she'd gotten close to, and if they would be able to write an essay on resisting the Imperius Curse.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_October 19th, 1996_

Hermione couldn't have been more excited for Saturday. While she loved homework and enjoyed the knowledge she obtained from all of her lessons, she needed a break. Of course, even on the weekends she had homework, but all of it was done and turned in before Friday evening. Now she could relax and finally allow her body to slump from her exhaustion. Well, she was laying down. On a blanket, in the grass, near the lake.

It was chilly out, and the day was full of gloom, but Hermione wanted the outdoors. Needed the fresh air and the escape from the other students, aside from those she held dear. Of course, most of her friends were now dating each other. Blaise and Pansy. Ginny and Theo. Luna and Neville even came out a couple days ago, Luna dragging him to the end of the Slytherin table, that was left solely to them, by the hand and making him sit.

Blaise had taken Pansy to Hogsmeade. Ginny had said she was going to teach Theo her Quidditch tactics at breakfast. And at lunch, Neville had ran off to help Professor Sprout with something in the greenhouses. So, Luna had suggested to her and Draco that they all go to the lake. Which seemed like a brilliant plan to Hermione.

She half expected Draco so shrug and say something crude, but he surprised her when he said that a bit of fresh air would be nice.

So that's how they came to be where they were. Hermione finally at peace as the wind gently blew over her face, her mind free of all the bad. Her head in Luna's lap as the blonde girl tried to twist her unruly hair into braids. And Draco off to their side reading a book.

"What are you reading, Draco?" Luna asked, being the first to speak since they settled down.

"Hm?" he asked, seeming a little annoyed to be distracted from his book. "Oh, Of Mice and Men." Hermione couldn't help the snort and she looked to him, disbelieving. "What?"

Hermione shrugged, awkwardly from her position. "Nothing... I just-" She decided to just tell the truth and be out with it. "Well, I didn't think that book would be of your liking."

She looked away from him when she saw his eyes flash.

"I like many things. A lot of them would surprise you, Granger." He said, and then returned to his reading.

Hermione glanced back and saw him as relaxed as ever in the comfort of his coat, book in hand. Those beautiful eyes scanning line after line until he was finished with a page and the rustling of the paper turning filled the space. The soft tug on her hair made her look up to Luna's knowing smile and she wondered just what Luna saw.

Of course, then Hermione wondered. Did Luna know? Her hands almost shot to her belly, but her fingers curled into fists at her sides and she forced them to stay. The whole day she hadn't thought once about it. She closed her eyes and forced her mind to remain peaceful.

She had no such luck.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Later after dinner, Hermione walked along the corridors, her arm curled around Ginny's as they walked to the Hospital Wing. Each night was the same, although Ginny and Pansy shifted their chaperon duties every other night and tonight it was Ginny's turn.

When they made it to Madam Pomfrey's office, Hermione sat down in the chair and waited for the Medi-witch to get her Dreamless Sleep and Calming draught. Ginny leaned against the stone wall, her arms wrapped around her chest as she too waited.

When the older woman returned she smiled pitiably at Hermione while she downed the first potion, waited exactly two minutes and then took the next. "Is there anything else you need, Miss Granger?" she asked, still standing and ready to fetch more potions.

"Make me forget?" she asked, wryly. Which, only made Madam Pomfrey's eyes well up with tears and Ginny moved to take Hermione's hand in a bid of comfort and sanity. "I'm sorry, I'm just..."

"It's alright, dear," the older woman waved it off and blinked back her tears.

"Is there nothing that can be done, Madam Pomfrey?" Ginny asked, worried about her friends emotional heath. Hermione knew that while she had her good moments, they were fewer than her bad. And she had to force herself to be okay around the boys and Luna even with the Calming draught.

"I'm sorry, but there is not," the older witch apologized.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_November 1st, 1996_

November came around quickly, time passed and things seemed to get more normal. Hermione poured herself into her classes and on top of that helped both Theo and Blaise with their homework. Theo was still needing help with his Transfigurations and Blaise was in dire need of a tutor for Muggle Studies. Which surprised her greatly when she found out he was taking the class. Apparently his future career choice was to be in need of Muggle knowledge. And he was just as interested and gobsmacked with Muggle bits and bobs as Mr. Weasley. Having Blaise come up to her and ask what the functions of a microwave were or how is it that a '_telly vision_' works, astounded her every time.

Being constantly busy and having things consistently on her mind, distracted her from the other things that were on her plate. She didn't have time to think about _it_, she didn't have time to be thrown back to _that _night.

Not even at night during bedtime, because she no longer slept in her bed. Her need for knowledge was continuously making her fall asleep slumped over the desk with her cheek stuck to a page in her text. Or curled up on the couch with her books surrounding her. She had even fallen asleep over her parchment the other night and had her homework inked on her face until she realized at breakfast when everyone was pointing at her and Pansy so graciously told her she had something on her face!

No, she had no time to think about _things_, because she was getting her life on track. She was getting back to normal.

As normal as she could get without Harry and Ron.

And that meant she had possibly skipped a few potions and the morning sickness was back. She tried so hard to remember, but how could she when she'd made herself forget? The one thing she wanted to do, but wasn't allowed any longer because she was throwing up whenever she caught a whiff of something that didn't settle with her.

And that was why she had practically mowed over Malfoy as she turned quickly into an alcove and threw up the contents of her lunch at the smell of someone's perfume. It had to have been Lavender or Parvati. Having roomed with them for five years, she knew the scents of their strong, overly worn perfumes.

She didn't jump at the soft fingers that tickled her neck and held back her hair. Growing accustomed to someone holding her hair for her. Blaise. Madam Pomfrey. Ginny. Pansy... Of course that had been before she'd found out for sure.

She sniffed as she straightened her back and wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her robes. Embarrassed when she turned around to see Malfoy was the one to hold her hair this time. But what really put her anxiety on overdrive was the students behind him. All of them looking at her, and at the hand that Malfoy had on her lower back. When had he put that there? But, she was too shocked by their audience to remove his hand or step away.

Then a voice that absolutely grated on her every nerve spoke and her eyes found Romilda Vane coming out of the small crowd. Her dark hair curly and flowing past her shoulders. Her robes straight as a pin, compared to Hermione's rumpled ones. Romilda's smile was vicious, a smile that knew something and was about to expose it. A smile that cut Hermione into pieces before she ever uttered a word.

She felt Malfoy tense beside her, but that was the only thought she gave him.

"Well, well," Romilda said, her tone too cheery for Hermione's liking. Nothing good would come from it, that was obvious. Nothing that came out of Romilda's mouth, when regarding Hermione, seemed to be good. "Seems like I was right. Little Miss Hermione Granger is a whore, after all."

"Watch your fucking mouth, Vane," Malfoy growled, much to Hermione's surprise. Something she hid well in the presence of the girl before her. While Hermione's mind practically gawked at the blonde boy, her outside appearance was rather implacable and unyielding. Not only because of Romilda, but the growing congregation around them. These onlookers, these spectators, viewers of the conversation were the most dangerous of them all. It was always the witnesses that put fuel to the fire. They made the rumors, stretched the fabrications, and advertised the fiction so much one didn't know if it were true or false.

"Ooh," Romilda practically cackled like the witch she was, as she sized up Malfoy. Just when had he lost the respectable fear from the other students? Was it when he stopped torturing the first years this year around? Or when he stopped taunting Harry and egging him on for a fight? Or was it when he started sitting with her and his other Slytherin's in arms who seemed to be on the side of good, rather then with the vile creature that was Voldemort? "You must be the father of Hermione's _bastard_ child."

Any resolve Hermione might have had, vanished in that moment. Eyes tripling in size, as she looked to the students surrounding them, to Romilda, and then finally to Malfoy. No, no, no. This was not happening. This- this wasn't... She couldn't breathe! Something was pressing down on her lungs, on her windpipe! She frantically grabbed Malfoy's arm, the only thing close enough to hold her up, too blanchedly horrified to notice he wasn't shocked, but absolutely and bloody-well pissed.

Everything was so fuzzy! Her mind, my god, her hands almost seemed numb! She couldn't calm herself, couldn't stop herself from thinking about what was inside of her and now everyone knew! Everyone knew! She slumped forward, eyes rolling in the back of her head.

"Granger!" She felt someone shake her, but she couldn't lift her head from the soft robes of whoever's chest she was leaning against. "Granger, are you okay?" The voice, so full of worry and concern... so soft. So different from _his _voice. '_Filthy mudblood. I wonder if we can clean her? What do you think, Lestrange? Think we can clean this little mudblood bitch? I want to scub her clean... Until she screams._' "Hermione!"

_**/-/-/-/**_

"Oh, my god...I-I didn't mean to..." Romilda's voice stuttered out of her large mouth, and Draco just about wanted to hex it off. No, he wanted to do far worse, but he was too panicked over Granger. Too afraid of what was happening to his girl. His mind was such a jumbled mess he didn't even correct himself.

She was clinging to his robes, her eyes tightly shut as she leaned against his chest. He had to wrap one arm around her waist so she wouldn't slide off him and hit the floor. His other at the back of her head as he tried to get her to look at him, to speak to him. For Merlin's sake why wouldn't she say anything?

"Hermione! Hermione!" he tried again and again, but there was no response. There was only one thing he could do. Bending he curled an arm behind her knees and lifted her into his arms, carrying her as he stepped forward, only to find he was cage in my the swarm of students. "Get out of my bleeding way! Move!" he yelled. He didn't know what exactly made them all scatter like a bunch of cowardice ants, it could have been the otherworldly growl in his voice or the fact that his face was near enough as scary as Snape's when at his worst.

But Draco didn't care.

The only thing on his mind was getting Hermione to Madam Pomfrey. He didn't know how long it took, time not working properly as he ran around corridors and down stairs, pumping his legs as hard as he could and wondering just how much Hermione weighed because it felt like little to nothing. He briefly heard someone calling his name, but he was too focused. Hermione was his only priority.

He burst through the doors to the Hospital Wing, looking like a madman as he yelled for Madam Pomfrey. He didn't wait for her, though, setting Hermione on one of the beds. The room was empty so he didn't think there was any use in the private room. When he tried to back up as the Medi-witch came forward, he was jerked back by Hermione's grip on his robes.

"Hermione, dear," Madam Pomfrey tried to calm her, her voice soothing as ever, but it didn't help loosen Hermione's hold. "Let go of Mr. Malfoy now. I need to look at you."

Draco saw her eyes flutter open for the first time since Romilda basically told the whole school Hermione was with child. "Don't. Leave. Me."

He was nodding before she ever finished. "I won't," he said and was then pushed into a chair as Hermione's finally let go. When she started to whimper Madam Pomfrey grabbed his hand.

"Hold her hand," she instructed before she started waving her wand.

Draco curled his fingers around hers, feeling her squeeze his hand for a moment of urgency before she relaxed. He watched her as her eyes fluttered shut and then she was breathing evenly again, which before had been rather erratic and abnormal. His thumb gently brushing back and forth over her palm, soothing her soft skin as Madam Pomfrey did was she did best.

"What's wrong with her?" his voice came out softer than normal, but demanding all the same and he ignored the look he received from the Medi-witch.

"She's in shock, her anxiety levels are past normal and very much at a frightening stage. I'm surprised she hasn't suffered a heart attack..." the witch trailed off and then made a disapproving noise in the back of her throat. "She's not been eating well enough, either, it seems. What exactly happened, Mr. Malfoy?" She asked, letting her wand rest as she turned to him.

Draco didn't want to look away from Hermione, as if he did she would know and would become restless once again. After a long silence, that he knew must he testing the older woman's patience, he looked at her. He took in her frazzled state, she obviously cared a lot about Hermione. If what he'd heard was anything to go by. "Another student seemed to catch on as to what has been going on with Herm- _Granger,_ lately. The student called her out on her pregnancy in front of a large group of people."

"Oh, dear..."

"Yeah."

"What was the student's name?" the tone in Madam Pomfrey's voice shocked him a little, it was held with an edge that surpassed her usual firmness when it came to her patients.

Draco didn't hesitate when he said the witch's name. "Romilda Vane."

After that Madam Pomfrey disappeared into her office, only to come back with three potions in hand. She slowly roused Hermione enough to take them all. Afterward, the girl fell back asleep, and her hand rested in his hand more loosely.

"What were those?" he asked, again, in demand.

"A Calming draught, Draught of Peace, and a little Dreamless Sleep."

"They'll help her?"

Madam Pomfrey turned comforting eyes on him, but he could see the pity that lay within, as well. "They'll ease the anxiety, and help her sleep peacefully."

He didn't miss just what exactly she was saying, or wasn't in this case. The Medi-witch didn't know if Hermione would ever be able to get help. While it wasn't something that was utterly obvious, Draco could detect it.

It was a moment before either spoke again and when they did it was Madam Pomfrey. "Oh dear, look at the time. I have a meeting, would you stay with Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?"

He nodded, unable to speak when he glanced back to Hermione, still holding onto her hand while she still had a grip, even if it was loose.

As the silence continued he didn't bother to look around to see if she had gone, merely thinking she had or she would be late to that meeting as the minutes ticked by. And tardiness was frowned upon, wasn't it?

He couldn't tear his eyes from Hermione. Watching as she slept, as she breathed. Her chest rising and falling with every inhale and exhale. Her lips slightly parted and a quiet snore sounding from the back of her throat, so quiet he was unsure if it could even be called snoring. It was a soft sound, a cute sound, a sound he could listen to forever.

His eyes roamed, taking in the curve of her chin, the softness of her skin, the texture of her lips; plump and enticing, the point of her nose, the arch of her brow, her hairline. He could stop examining, considering, inspecting, appraising... She was so...

The sound of voices brought him out of his reverie, and he looked to the doors of the Hospital Wing as they flung open, the six people coming to a stop at what they saw before they rushed over.

"Hush, the lot of you," he whispered to them harshly. "She's sleeping!"

They all seemed to tense under his tone, but they managed to silence themselves as they each found a spot around her bed.

"What happened, Draco?" Pansy asked, her worry highly noticeable as she whrung her hands.

"You mean that blather hasn't made it all over the fucking school, yet?"

He looked at them all, each one of them letting on with their reactions. Pansy sighed, Blaise shook his head as if he couldn't believe it. Ginny placed her hands on her hips with a murderous look to which Theo started to rub her shoulders, but even he couldn't hide the anger on his face. Neville of course fidgeted nervously and Luna took one of his hands to calm him, but she too looked at her shoes.

"Is it true?" It didn't surprise him so much when Neville spoke up.

What did, though, was when both Ginny and Pansy nodded and said, "Yes."

"You two, knew?" he asked them while the others seemed flabbergasted.

They nodded but devolved no more. They were all quiet for a long time, all looking at Hermione. Wondering.

"Cormac?" Theo finally asked, and when Draco turned to look at him, his answer was disrupted.

"No," Ginny shook her head,

"Hermione said he didn't get that far," added Pansy.

Theo's hands curled into fists and if it weren't for Hermione's feet being in the way, Draco was sure Theo would have punched a hole through the mattress.

"But, then who?" Draco looked back to Neville and Luna. Hermione had told them about her parents, but they hadn't been told the whole extent of the attack. Of course, no one had. Unless... he looked to Ginny and Pansy and frowned. They knew. She had told them.

His hands tightened into hard fists, until he realized he was essentially squeezing Hermione's hand and he relaxed. Of course, she told them. They were her best friends. He wouldn't have been told because he'd been a complete ass.

As the silence carried on, Draco lost track of time as Hermione once again gained all of his attention. Moving his thumb back and forth over the palm of her hand while he freshly observed her. Gazed at her. Contemplated her. Thoroughly and ultimately disinterested in what the others thought or felt in regard to him, Draco Malfoy, holding Hermione Granger's hand.

**TBC**


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: And another chapter! You guys are fueling me! I love it! I just actually love chapter 13 more this one (just a little!)... Anyway, thank you all for you're reviews. Again! You are all amazing! And I think I have the DE that will be the father... Still a little unsure..

**Chapter 14**

_November 2nd, 1996_

She felt so peaceful, so utterly and completely peaceful. Like she was floating and nothing could touch her. She didn't want to wake up, didn't want this to be a dream or just some figment of her imagination. She wanted to stay here, wherever here was... Because here she didn't lose her parents. Here she was still innocent. She wasn't pregnant here. She didn't have awful hordes judging her or making her feel insignificant. She just had herself. All alone. Deserted. Isolated. Solitary.

The sound of her own heart pounded in her ears as her blood rushed and her body grew restless. Her insides becoming maniacal. She was all alone here. No one to keep her company. No one to have an intellectual conversation with. No one at all to stop her from deteriorating, from collapsing into herself.

Not one single soul, but her own. And she was choking on it. Suffocating on her very own essential being, her magic, her very existence. It took her all but an age for her to find the warmth. The softness that caressed her to the right and reversed her suffering, starting at the tip of her finger to her knuckle, along her palm and up her wrist. The most beautiful warmth she'd ever felt. Making her feel whole again. Flawless, complete, intact, safe, untouched.

She wanted to wake up.

She wanted to, needed to, before she was once again overcome by her turmoil and dragged into hell.

Hermione's eyes opened first. Not slowly with a flutter of newly awakened and unwanted clarity, but with a start as she stared up at the ceiling. The first thing that came to her was that she was laying on her back. The second; she was in a bed. Turning her head around, she looked at where she was and judging by all the other identical sheeted mattresses, it was clear she was in the Hospital Wing. But how did she get here?

She moved to sit up, but found herself unable to with a weight on her hand. Looking over her mouth nearly fell open. Draco Malfoy sat there slumped in a chair, his blonde bangs hanging so much over his eyes she couldn't even see his soft eyelashes, and his hand was holding onto hers as if his life depended on it. She pulled gently with the smallest of tugs, but still he was relentless to letting her go as he slept.

He saved her. It was her first thought as she observed him. His aristocratic features so sharp and absolutely beautiful it made her feel self-conscious. He was an ass, but that didn't mean he wasn't handsome. And he saved her.

_Oh gods..._

He saved her from Romilda Vane. Gotten her away from the scene after the girl had very publicly claimed that Hermione was pregnant. He must had brought her here. And what had happened exactly? She'd clung to him, practically begged him not to leave her when he got her to the Hospital wing. Then again, now everyone knew. They had to. Something like that couldn't have been said and not spread along the masses. Not with all the people that had been there.

_Romilda Vane. _She could have cursed the girl if she wasn't so horrified. If she wasn't so afraid of leaving the very bed she laid in. Of letting go of the hand that anchored her sanity. So lost, yet so awake, she didn't notice when he had woke up, eye trained once again at the ceiling. Tears filling up and nearly spilling over.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt the lightest of touches on her palm, a simple brush of his thumb bringing her abruptly to attention. Close to whiplash as she turned her head toward him. Unable to stop the tremble of her bottom lip when she saw his expression. It was so foreign and so welcome at the same time. His concern rolled over her like a wave of protection, it made her feel so safe. But the extent of her feelings scared her. She had thought he was beautiful before, but this was different, it was like she _needed_ him. That his very presence calmed her and chased away all the evil in her life. From the moment he had his hand on her back when Romilda called her a whore to this silent occasion where he held her hand in his.

"The school knows," she muttered, helpless to the catch in her voice. So did he. He had to know. Her reaction hadn't been one of denial. The fit she had hadn't been contradictory to what Romilda said. The whole school knew, her other friends surely knew, and so did Malfoy

Hermione closed her eyes at his meager nod, and still his thumb swished back and forth across her skin. The first sob, she tried to hold in, but wrestling with it was as unproductive as her tutoring someone about a subject they already excelled in. The second sob came more freely, rolling out of her mouth with a prominent, choked up sniffle. She didn't care that Malfoy was there, that he proved a witness to her breakdown. But she did care about his hand and the comfort it brought her. She turned onto her side and pulled his hand closer, clutching it to her chest and sobbing into the crook of his elbow as his whole body came closer, half lying there on the bed with her. She could feel his warm breathe against the top of her head as he whispered that it would be all right. Any surprise at his change in attitude towards her buried way down deep, as she concentrated on the other hand of his rubbing her back.

"Don't leave me. _Please_, don't leave me."

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco's chin rested easily on the top of her head, as he laid down beside her on the bed. It was definitely strange how easy it was to just jump in beside her and take her in his arms while she cried all over him. This wasn't the Hermione Granger he knew for the passed five or so years. This girl had been put through so much misery, we was surprised she wasn't wasting away inside of her own purgatory, dead to the world and in the psychiatric ward of St. Mungo's or worse the insane asylum in Belfast.

He rocked her gently as her heaving sobs were reduced to small sniffs and hiccups. Time getting the better of him again, as he didn't even know what term the clock would announce. He waited until she was all but quiet and he nearly thought she'd fallen asleep on him. But then, slowly, she turned her head and looked up at him. Her brown eyes rimmed in red from crying, hair a mess, and looking so lost. She had clung to him in her need, but just as quickly as she had down that, she began to tense and oh, so slowly removed herself from him.

He didn't move from the bed until her hand let go of his and the contact of her warm skin was gone. He settled back into the chair and watched her with a curious eye.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the ruckus of Theo and Pansy walking in. Theo running over and sitting where Draco had once been, throwing his arm around Hermione and drawing her in for a hug. He could tell her smile was forced, obviously that went unnoticed by the other two Slytherins.

"Why are you crying 'Mione?" Pansy asked, coming up to Hermione's other side.

Draco observed her nonchalant shrug and then the most uncomfortable silence followed. Because really what could anyone say in this situation. Hermione was pregnant. And the whole school was a buzz with the juicy gossip according to Ginny and Luna. What else was their to say or do, but watch as Hermione stared down at the bed sheets.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_November 4th, 1996_

Hermione had managed to stay clear of everybody in the seclusion of her rooms until Monday came around. Other than her friends who were allowed the password to her hidden space, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of any other of Hogwarts bright pupils. She had the weekend to thank for that. A school day came around though, as they always did. Two days of peace, at least time to contemplate her problems and then she was thrown back into her academics.

During the weekend everyone, even Neville hadn't asked her questions. They were the one thing she was afraid of. Questions. Well, one in particular and that was 'who's the father?' It seemed the whole school was determined it was Malfoy, by what Pansy told her. Although, she was told a couple other assumptions, as well, by Luna. Cormac, Ron, and Harry were all in the running of 'Who's Hermione's Baby-Daddy?'

Aside from Cormac, she would have been fine ruining her life with one of them. But sadly, her life had been ruined without her consent. The choice had been taken from her. Snatched away like stealing sweets from a child. She still was a child. She was seventeen and of age, but she still ached to be held by her parents, she still wanted her mother to sing her lullabies when she had nightmares, still wanted to go for walks with her father in the park...

Again, all of that was gone, and chances of that happening wrenched out of her grasp.

She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror for a long time until she heard the knock at her door and she stepped through the portrait to find Ginny and Neville. "No one else wanted to be seen with me, hm?" she asked, and already started down the corridor.

"They're already at breakfast, Hermione," Ginny said with a 'tut, tut'.

"Someone's always going to be with you throughout the day," Neville cut in and before Hermione could refuse, he continued. "It's been decided, please don't argue."

Hermione looked at Ginny with a raised eyebrow and the other girl grinned at Neville's confidence. And while she had been on the verge of turning it down, Hermione was comforted with the thought she wouldn't be left alone.

Finally getting to parts of the castle the students frequented more, Hermione ducked her head down as they passed old friends and new enemies. She didn't want to see their faces, but she couldn't exactly plug her ears to what they said. She could hear them whispering, giggling. '_Whore'_.

She didn't allow it to get to her. She stood tall and she walked with a firm stride in her steps with Ginny and Neville at her sides while she arrived in the Great Hall. She wasn't def. She could hear how all the chatter faded away once she crossed that threshold, she could feel all of the eyes on her as sure enough she could feel the hairs on her neck stand on end.

She sat down, in between Theo and Luna and began eating her breakfast. This time the porridge didn't make her sick. She scarfed it down like she hadn't eaten in days, and with a small hope she didn't look like Ronald Weasley in doing so. She truly hated that boys table manners.

When breakfast was over, she managed to get away without looking once at Malfoy. Joining Luna to their first class which they had together. Ancient Runes. When they got themselves seated, they were greeted by Professor Babbling. The class focused on the lesson, lifting a weight off of Hermione's shoulders. She didn't need to be harassed while she was learning.

It was her next class that caused an uproar. All Hermione did was walk in, of course she was followed by nearly all of her friends, aside from Ginny. When a nameless Slytherin boy barked off the most offensive thing she'd ever heard inside Hogwart's walls.

"So, Granger! Y' gonna let all the Slytherin's in that pussy, or just Malfoy and Zabini? Of course, yer already knocked up, where's the harm in letting some of us more experienced men-"

A shout of surprise escaped her as Malfoy hurled himself forward and tackled the black haired boy to the ground. She tried to get them to stop, tried to make her voice work, but all she could do was watch as she saw Malfoy's fists flying back only to sling forward. The 'crunch' of bones breaking made her sick and she swayed into Theo who held her up.

"ENOUGH!" Hermione jumped at Professor Snape's voice and only saw a swish of his black robes before Malfoy was dragged off of the boy and someone else helped the guy up off the floor. "What is going on here?"

"Malfoy attacked me, sir!" The guy yelled pointing toward the very feral looking Draco Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione could practically hear the disappointment in his voice and knew Draco would be getting detention, before she could open her mouth to speak, someone beat her to it.

"That's not true, sir," she almost fainted at the sound of such a familiar voice, and she turned, astounded to see Harry stepping forward. "Kelston, spoke some pretty crude things to Hermione," her eyes nearly teared up at the sight of him backing Malfoy, but she shook her head and then looked to Snape. "Malfoy was provoked."

"And what did Mr. Kelston say, Potter?"

Harry blushed and shook his head. "I'm not comfortable repeating it, Professor."

"Miss Granger?" Hermione was already looking at him. "Is what Mr. Potter said true?"

She nodded without a moments hesitation. "Yes, sir."

"Mr. Kelston, I think you and I have a meeting with the Headmaster," he said, grabbing the black haired Slytherin by the back of his robes and dragging him out of the classroom, only to poke his head back in a moment later. "Sit. Read pages 346-390 in your texts."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_November 10th, 1996_

Things got worse as days passed, while no student dared speak to her in the classroom, Hermione was harassed in the halls and during meals. She couldn't even go outside without someone pointing at her and calling her a whore. And there was nothing the staff of Hogwart's could do about it. Sure, parents have been contacted, but nothing changed. Even after Harry had more or less gotten Malfoy out of trouble with Kelston.

And what was even worse than being called a whore or a slut down the corridors. Hermione's stomach had popped. She'd woken one morning and there was this small bulge. The littlest of curve to what had been a flat stomach. She had come close to another breakdown, if it weren't for the reassurances from Ginny, Luna, and Pansy that it wasn't noticeable at all, even without her baggy robes.

_She_ noticed it, though.

Sunday, she had been talked into an outing. Everyone was going. Everyone meaning; Blaise, Pansy, Ginny, Theo, Neville, Luna, and Malfoy. The day was for once nice. The sun was shining, there was a breeze on the air, the trees had turned orange, yellow, and red. Hermione wasn't surprised when she was taken to the lake. Almost happy to see the dark waters again as she settled on a blanket Blaise threw down for her before he started unfolding another one.

Of course the hot topic in the starting discussion was Quidditch, something Hermione didn't care for and while Ginny and the boys conversed with laughs and their hands waved with arguments over strategies. Hermione leaned into Pansy as Neville tried to entice her with a conversation about Mandrakes and their maturing process.

The topic made her remember their first year and she mentioned Neville fainting when his earmuffs failed him as Professor Sprout taught them how to pot the young roots, making the three of them laugh at the memory.

Hermione grew quiet after a while, letting the conversation lull her somewhat. Listening to each of her friends voices. Their laughs, their tones of surprise, their growls of frustration. A small smile managed to unfold across her face, seeming to grow at ease while she leaned against Pansy and the other girls arm wrapped around her shoulders and played with the tips of her bushy hair.

"I wish I had been there," she heard Ginny say and she didn't have to think too hard on what the redhead meant.

"Well, you sure did miss a great show. I mean, Kelston sure needs his balls hexed off, but you should have seen Draco," Blaise laughed. "Fists of fury, that one. Huh, Draco?"

Hermione looked over at him, only to see he was looking right back at her. He made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat, and then turned back to the stick he was snapping into little pieces. Each fracture cracked a little louder then the last. Hermione couldn't look away, didn't want to in fact. She found his features once again alluring and she allowed herself to look, unabashed. She started with his chin, and worked her way up. His lips if something could be called perfect, they were, as well as his nose. It was as she got to his eyes that she nearly growled in annoyance. Absolutely dissatisfied with his bangs covering up those silvery blue orbs she had obsessed over.

Sitting up, she crawled over and reached out towards his face, pushing his bangs back and holding them there. The group went silent, and Hermione knew what she was doing was probably very surprising, but she just needed to look at those eyes.

He stared at her, his lips a thin line. She could see his cheekbones better, being so close, and she was envious. Women could only dream of having cheekbones such as this. And one's with money had theirs magically altered. On Malfoy, they didn't look feminine, though. On Malfoy, they radiated masculinity. When her eyes connected with his again, she noticed the smile behind them, while it didn't reach his lips, she could see the spark in his irises.

"Something wrong, Granger?" he asked, his voice ever detached.

"Nothing at all, Malfoy," she replied. "I just wanted to see your eyes."

A throat cleared and both of them turned to find just who it was. Only then did they noticed that they were being shadowed by a couple of figures. Shielding her eyes with one hand while the other still held back Malfoy's bangs, her eyes grew in size at the two people.

Harry and Ron.

"And just what do you want?" Theo asked, getting to his feet. The malice in his voice making her cringe. Theo had every right to be pissed at them, though.

Hermione had yet to take her hand away from Draco, until she too started to rise up to her full height, just as everyone else did, fingers gently brushing over his cheek as he helped her up, the gesture completely accidental of course.

"We were just wanting to talk to Hermione," Harry said, his fingers twitching as he looked at each one of them before his eyes settled on her.

"What do you want?" she asked, stopping herself from crossing her arms over her stomach.

"Can we talk to you without your _friends_?" Hermione saw Ron's glare at the people around her.

"Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of them."

"Is it true?" Harry blurted out, his face turned to Hermione and his eyes pleaded with her. Whether it was a 'please let it not be' or a 'please tell me' she couldn't tell. Most likely both.

With a sigh Hermione almost looked to her shoes to keep herself from seeing his reaction to what she said next. "Yes," she replied, eyes still level with the boy-who-lived.

Harry closed his eyes, ground his teeth so hard she could see the muscles in his jaw tense, and she all but noticed his hands curling into fists at his side. He was angry. At her or the situation? Slowly he let out a helpless sigh, one that said so much, and yet so little. He hadn't been around for weeks. Bloody hell, he's been out of her life for a couple months now! Why did it matter what he thought?

"There, told you it was true, mate," Ron's voice was disgusted as his whole face turned red. "So, who's the lucky father, Hermione?" he asked, almost seeming amused if it weren't for the furrow of his brows. "Is it Zabini's? Or hey, maybe you're into Nott. I wouldn't even be surprised if it was Neville's!"

Hermione watched as her once upon a time, best friend only angered himself further. She didn't say a thing, she didn't allow his taunting to get to her. It was hard, but she pulled through. She felt soft fingers intertwine with her own and she looked to her side as Malfoy stepped forward. Oh god, what was he going to to? He squeezed her hand, reassuringly. Encouragingly. But, Hermione felt slightly alarmed.

"It's mine, _Weaselbee_."

**TBC**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Okay, just to answer a quick question that was asked about who knows about what happened to Hermione. First; Ginny and Pansy are the only ones who know the whole story, except for who raped her. Draco suspects that she's been raped, and Blaise, Theo, Neville, and Luna all are in the dark. Now read this chapter and either love me or hate me. I think I might have pushed it a little too far too soon. I'm a little unsure about it. While I wished to get this up sooner, I had another HG/DM story in mind and it is now up and running. So if you want to check it out... I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you all for the reviews! I truly love you all! You are all amazing!

**Chapter 15**

Hermione didn't know how to feel, exactly. Angry. Confused. Maybe, grateful. Possibly, befuddled. One thing she did know was that she hadn't expected to be wringing her hands at the bedside of Draco Malfoy while Madam Pomfrey swished her wand about him. Hermione was more than alarmed when Malfoy stepped forward and claimed the baby as his own. She wasn't going to lie, her mouth had hung open in staggering, surprise. She felt positively stupefied.

Harry's reaction had been rather barbaric. Of course, he would take out his wand before any of them could comprehend his actions and curse Malfoy with painful boils all over his body. And of course, Ginny would retaliate with a bat-bogey hex. And Blaise would disarm Ron before the male Weasley could cause anymore damage.

While Harry and Ron were in no need of medical assistance it was plain as day that Malfoy was. Sure, she'd heard him whine about being injured in the past years, laying it on extra thick for the girls, but this time wasn't like those. Malfoy had cursed up a storm, using words that made even Luna blush and creating a couple that Hermione had never even heard. Talking about Merlin's balls and such, he must have been in dire pain, the agony clear across his face.

Hermione had been the one to escort Malfoy to the Hospital wing, telling the others to stay. Really, she didn't care what they did as long as they didn't follow. Because she needed answers and felt she'd get them sooner without an audience.

She waited while Madam Pomfrey huffed over her patient, muttering something about teenage hormones and too much testosterone. She made him swallow down two potions, both of which had to have tasted rather foal, if his expression was anything to go by. When the Medi-witch was finally finished, she tutted and then disappeared to her office with a sharp turn. Obviously not carrying for this turn of events.

The silence was stifling, especially with such a large empty room. No other patients in sight. The beds bare and the sheets neat and straight as a pin.

She turned her head to look at him, completely at a loss for words. But, she knew she needed to say _something_. "What, exactly, were you thinking?" she asked looking passed the large, reddish boils protruding all over his face, and his bangs so she could see those eyes of his. "Hm? Do you know what you've done? The danger you've put yourself in?"

"I've been in danger my whole life," while Hermione would have usually laughed or rolled her eyes over something like that, his tone was so serious she couldn't even crack a smile outside or in. "Claiming it as my own is a lot safer for _you,_ then letting it hang in the bloody air and allowing the fucking asshole outside these walls get word of it. Do you know what would happen to you? What they would do to you?"

"How do you-" Hermione couldn't help sounding completely affronted, even with her breathy tone. She had no illusions as to who the 'asshole' or 'they' were.

Malfoy shrugged his shoulders and looked at her sadly. "I was there when Snape brought you. I'm the one who ran you here from the grounds. I saw all the blood," he also overheard some things, but wasn't going to announce that. The image of her seemingly lifeless body in Snape's arms stopped him from going any further there. "When you started getting sick, I guess I just assumed... And then that bitch, Vane said, well..." he trailed off tiredly, and laid back against the pillows with a hiss. His robes rubbing wrongly against his skin from the movement.

While Hermione remembered in great detail how her parents were murdered and what_ he_ had done to her, she could never recall Snape saving her. Maybe the pain had dulled her senses by then, maybe she had been far too gone and unconscious that her memory just couldn't recollect. But she'd been told from the very beginning who had saved her and she had yet to thank the man.

She felt the trickle of saline under her eyes and she quickly wiped the droplets away with the back of her hand. "So many people have put their lives before mine. My parents, Professor Snape, you... others," she shook her head. "I never asked you to do this. I know you don't like me, we're not friends, remember? So, you don't have to risk your life for me and my- _problem_."

"It's already done, Granger," he told her, sounding somewhat exasperated. Biting her already worried lip as she looked over to see him resting, eyes closed and hands folded over his stomach. "We weren't alone on the grounds. Words gone round by now, and unless you make a public statement about the kid not being mine, then I have no problem playing daddy."

His snarky tone nearly made her laugh if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation and she almost slapped his arm, only to remember the boils. After a long silence Malfoy fell asleep and Hermione settled back into the chair. Transfiguring another bed into a foot stool, so she could put her feet up.

She really didn't know what to do about any of this. She'd been healing slowly, but everything was still such a mess, and now this with Malfoy. Why was life so hard? Why did it keep throwing obstacles her way? She could only leap so high over them, soon enough she wouldn't be able to get passed them any longer. Looking at Malfoy now, she sighed. Could she let him take up such a responsibility? In her book it wasn't right. It was dangerous. Before now she hadn't quite thought over the liabilities. If word did reach Voldemort and his Death Eaters, they could easily come after her. Getting to her, however, would be more difficult. That was if _he_ truly wanted her and his Dark Lord agreed to it. And while Malfoy had proved to be trusted as additional protection, what if their folly came to light, what then? And what about Malfoy's father?

Hermione knew of Theo and Pansy's stories. She knew that all four Slytherin's had been under the Imperius. Theo's torture had been horrific and much more terrifying then her own. Pansy had just nearly escaped being traded to Voldemort for her parents clemency 'whenever the Dark Lord ruled'. Blaise had only been under the curse, but that didn't mean it was any less atrocious, and that was evident whenever his mother was brought up, which was rare. But Malfoy. His story was an enigma. Never told, never mentioned. Pansy didn't even hint towards what he had gone through and Hermione didn't know whether or not to ask.

She fell asleep there, assaulted by all of her thoughts and with a decision set and ready for when she awoke.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco was the first to wake and when he did, he felt rather refreshed. Looking down at his hands, he saw the boils were gone. He glanced down his shirt and sure enough those agonizing _blemishes_ were all clear, leaving behind nothing but his pale skin. He had a moments thought of strangling Potter, before he heard the softest of sounds to his left. Turning, he was surprised to find Granger there, asleep with her feet propped up.

The small wheeze from the back of her throat had his lips quirking into a fraction of a smile as he looked her over. It was dark out, but she still wore the clothes she had on down by the lake. Baggy jeans and a gray sweatshirt. They weren't particularly flattering, no, but, he found her adorable nonetheless. Oh, _fuck_. Really, adorable? Next thing he'd start belting out sonnets to her and professing his undying love.

He liked her, sure, and the gods knew he cared for her. But, love? He didn't know if he could love. His mother had tried so hard to show him affection, but his father had never allowed it. He wondered just what happened to the carrying man his mother had told him about when they had first married. Could a person truly change so dramatically? So suddenly?

He wasn't long into his thoughts before he caught her stirring out of the corner of his eye. Looking at her now as she raised her hands over her head and stretched, body curving and he could detect just a hint of her a growing stomach as her sweater tightened around her body.

When her eyes opened she jumped, it wasn't exactly the first time he'd had that reaction from someone. He could see her body tense for a millisecond, before she calmed when she found her bearings.

Draco smirked at the blush on her cheeks, but he didn't look away. Even as she did, and started to disfigure the foot stool back into a bed. When she was done, she returned to the chair, wringing her hands, before placing them together between her knees. She seemed to have something on her mind, something she wanted to say. So, he gave her the room to say it and remained quiet.

"I thought about everything you said," her voice was but a whisper, and he shifted a little, throwing his legs over the side of the bed in a bid to get somewhat closer to hear her more clearly.

"But?"

"No, but," Hermione shook her head and finally looked up at him, her bushy hair a messy halo around her head. "You were completely logical, and I find myself to be a rather probable and reasonable person, so I don't see why it couldn't work."

"Are you saying you want me to be the child's father, Granger?" Draco couldn't help the bit of snide that seeped into the remark, and he wouldn't apologize for it. It was a little more conceited then he meant, though. Especially with the smirk on his lips.

Just as well, the look he got was rather comical. Jaw dropped, eyes wide, a blush that was just a tad bit lighter than the Weasley's on her cheeks. But then her mouth came to a close, and the corners of her lips shifted into a smile that resembled something of a Cheshire Cat, eyes gleaming. "Oh, it's Hermione now, _Draco_. We're going to have to play the parts, if we're going to fool everyone into thinking we're intimate."

She was trying to intimidate him, as if acting like she was a goddess would be very hard and he'd find it horrendously, disgusting. Well, he had a bit of a surprise for her, didn't he? "I don't think that will be a problem, Hermione. I'm rather good at performing."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but before she could say much else, footsteps were brought to their attention and they both looked to see Madam Pomfrey click-clacketing their way. "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy..." her voice was all business as she stepped at the foot of the bed. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you both in his office."

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione and Draco sat in the chairs opposite Dumbledore, looking at the man and trying not to look at all the people behind them. When they had arrived it had seemed they'd interrupted an argument, but it stopped the moment they stepped inside.

Hermione did wonder just what the Order was doing in this office, though?

"Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore began and the older man had a comforting twinkle in his eye. "Word has gone around school that you are the father of Hermione's child. To which, all in this room are aware, you are not."

Draco nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "Weasley was practically accusing Hermione, here, of being a whore. I thought I'd step in."

"And claim the child as your own?" the headmaster asked, with a hint of amusement.

"Yes."

"Oh, you insufferable little, brat!" Snape's voice made Hermione jump, and she looked behind her to see Snape fuming, a sneer marring his face.

"Severus, please," Professor Dumbledore said, giving the DADA teacher a rather stern look.

It was clear that Snape wanted to say more, and Hermione watched the muscles in his jaw tick dangerously. Awaiting the obvious, impending explosion, but he surprised her and stayed quiet.

Hermione turned back around to look at Dumbledore, catching sight of Draco for a brief second and wondering how he could be so calm.

"Are you aware of the dangers you've put yourself in, Draco," he asked him.

She didn't have to look to see his defiant nod or hear his unhindered, "Yes." she ducked her head, when she felt a small smile curl it's way across her lips. They'd just finished having this conversation with each other in the Medical ward and now it seemed Dumbledore was going to have a repeat for himself.

"And are you okay with this, Miss Granger?" She did look up as she was addressed, with a glance in Draco's direction she nodded.

"We've spoken about it, Professor," she said quietly. "And we've agreed that I will be safer if Draco take responsibility, since then_ he_ won't come searching if word gets outside these walls."

"Hermione, dear," Mrs. Weasley's voice spoke quietly and she looked back at the Weasley matriarch, who held her husbands hand. "I know it must be hard for you, but do you know the name of who did this to you?"

Hermione looked down to her lap and she swallowed slowly. She didn't know if she was ready to say his name. To make it completely and totally real. That _his_ child was growing in her womb. But, it was already real, wasn't it? She couldn't exactly hold it off anymore, not when the whole school knew, not when the people in this very room knew. And definitely not, now that her stomach was starting to grow.

The whole room was silent and then she felt a light touch on her shoulder. Raising watery eyes to see who it was, a tear slipped down her cheek and Remus Lupin gently wiped it away. "It's okay, Hermione. You tell us whenever _you're_ ready."

She couldn't look at him any longer, he had been her favorite Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher, and she had felt completely betrayed when she thought he had been coercing with Sirius Black. Only to find, Sirius wasn't a mass murderer, after all. She had to say it. Had to get it out. Because if she didn't, it would eat her up until nothing was left. Completely destroy her. Consume her, crush her, and break her. And hadn't she been broken enough, hadn't she lived through enough of this hell?

She couldn't look at any of them, not Dumbledore or Draco. Nor Lupin or Mrs. Weasley and the lot of them. She'd briefly seen Fred and George there and a couple other redheads, that could only be the Weasley's she had yet to meet, Charlie and Bill.

"I can't say it with all of you here," she then gasped out, shaking her head. "I'll say it, but not with all of you here," she sniffled and covered her face with her hands. Painstakingly petrified with all of them looking at her.

She heard shuffling, and a bit of mumbling through her sobs, but she couldn't make out what was happening around her. Not until everything was quiet did she finally look up, to find every gone, but Draco. "It's too much," she told him.

"Then don't tell me," he said and she shook her head. "Hermione," it felt weird hearing him say her name. "You don't have to say it."

"But, I do!" she pleaded for him to hear her reasoning. "I have to, otherwise it will haunt me forever,_ he_ will haunt me forever! I don't want to live my entire life afraid and ruined! I don't want him to ruin me," she flung her hands over her face once again.

There was a long silence before she heard Malfoy stand and then she felt a hand on her knee. "Look at me," the demand was clear, and she had half a mind to ignore it, but slowly she moved her hands and tilted her teary face to look at him kneeling before her. Caging her in with his hand on one armrest while the other still rested, gently against her knee. "I watched my father kill my mother. I don't know how he did it, but he managed out of Azkaban and waltzed into the house and killed her right in front of me. You want to know what he did next?"

Hermione could only stare after that admission. She wondered, but never asked out of consideration, and now she was unsure she wanted to hear the rest, because what he was telling her was already horrible. "He played with her corpse after tying me to a chair. And much like Nott's father did to him, I was traded. To Greyback. Did you know the werewolf likes little boys best?" Hermione shook her head, closing her eyes as more tears swam in them and blurred her vision. "I would never tell you the details of what the bastard did to me," Hermione nearly broke at hearing his voice lightly crack, but then he cleared his throat as if it hadn't happened.

"You should never know those horrors, but sadly you have horrors of your own. He can't ruin you, unless you allow him, you hear me?" she heard the question and only opened her eyes when he lightly grabbed her chin. "Do you hear me, Hermione? He can't haunt you unless you allow him to."

She nodded, and then threw her arm around him. Too emotional to placate herself for doing so. She felt his body go stiff and it took a minute for him to relax, but then his arms wrapped around her. He was so warm, so comfortable that she wanted to drown in his embrace. It was a rather large shock that he would confess his story to her. That he would put aside his own emotional turmoil and tell her his situation in an effort to mollify and taper her worries.

She shifted her head, so her mouth was at his ear, her voice a weeping whisper.

"_Antonin Dolohov_."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_November 12th, 1996_

Hermione had been given Monday off, all of her homework brought to her rooms and she even had Ginny and Pansy fill everyone (those who were her closest friends), in on what truly happened. The who of the situation still only known to Draco and the Order. As she had wanted it to be and remain to be until further notice.

When Tuesday came along, she found she was ready for classes, although, maybe not ready to face her fellow students. She waited in her room, sitting on the couch and staring at the coffee table with her book bag in her lap and a pensive look on her face. She was surprised when she felt the couch dip beside her and when she turned her head, she was even more surprised to see Malfoy.

Draco had been rather nice over everything, he hadn't even commented when she had so openly blubbered all over his robes. He had been kind, which in itself was an overwhelming change. But, then again, maybe it wasn't a change, maybe it was a quality he had buried deep inside. She didn't know.

His arm was thrown casually over the back of the couch now, as she looked at him and he stared back at her. She remembered how his body had tensed when she told him it was Antonin Dolohov's child she carried and how his arms had tightened a little more around her. It confused her, but she hadn't questioned it. He'd made her feel safe and even now as they sat their in silence she felt like nothing could touch her.

"You ready?"

The question was simple enough and she nodded, taking his hand when he stood and offered his to her to help her up. He didn't let go however as he led her out of the room and through her very own portrait hole. And their fingers stayed connected as they turned down corridors and passed other students who were going in the same direction.

It was hard to ignore the whispers, but she took a page out of Malfoy's book and stood tall as she walked beside him and gave his hand a squeeze, that he returned. They paused outside the Great Hall doors, students passing by them and looking back at them before they continued to whisper and headed to their designated tables.

"Ready, my lovely love, Hermione," he asked her, a little sarcastically and she couldn't help the large grin that spread across her face when she looked at him and saw his pompous smirk.

"But, of course my darling, Draco," she said, almost slipping up and calling him her 'darling ferret'. "Better get it over with," she said with a more exhausted sigh.

And on that note they both walked into the Great Hall, hand in hand, ignoring the calm before the storm as they sat down at the end of the Slytherin table where their odd group was secluded to.

**TBC**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** FINALLY! I know. I know. I had been on a roll there for a moment, and then I stopped. But, in my defense I was FORCED to go on vacation and was nowhere near a computer. Forgive me? Please? I love you all? Anyway, just a little tid bit of my life that I can't keep in. I FELL IN LOVE. Sadly, I don't even know his name. *sigh* All I know is that he was a Norwegian swimmer and that he said 'bye' to me when he left the diner. I usually don't believe in love at first sight, but wow.. Yeah. Thought, I would share my little bit of tragedy. AND I hope you all like this chapter. I tried getting it up sooner, but I had a bit of a block, until I reread my reviews and got inspired! Thank you all!

**Chapter 16**

_December 13th, 1996_

December came around quickly, although more slowly in Hermione's eyes. After arriving in the Great Hall with Draco that November morning, many things had changed. Everything had been so quiet for what had seemed like hours but were merely minutes ticking by. Then all hell broke loose. The words and accusations were still fresh in her memory. Shutting her eyes tightly as she remembered all of the hurtful things that had come from the Gryffindor table. The Hufflepuffs didn't dare say a word, but a fair few Ravenclaws made their opinions known. And the Slytherin sneers she received were full of venom.

"_Traitor!"_

"_Seems Granger isn't so perfect after all!"_

"_Slytherin Slut!"_

"_Can't believe it! She's cohorting with the enemy!"_

"_The Mudblood's a Death Eater's whore!"_

"_ENOUGH!"_

Dumbledore had come through for her, while she remembered taking Draco's had to keep him from getting up and doing something dreadful... It seemed the Headmaster wasn't going to take such bullying and profanity in his school. He more or less had everyone on their toes after the shocking bellow of his usually mild mannered voice. It wasn't often that anyone saw such a look upon Albus Dumbledore's face, but that glittering sparkle of fury in his eyes that morning had scared everyone into silence.

It had taken a few minutes before anyone even thought about continuing with their meals and when they did, the Hall was as quiet as the grave.

Everyone seemed to get the deeper message, as well. While she still got looks down the corridors, not one student said a nasty thing to her. Of course, she had Draco on her arm everywhere she went now too, except for the classes they didn't share.

She had thought playing nice with Malfoy and acting like a cute, young, expecting couple would have been hard. Instead it came rather easily. It was little things at first, holding hands when ever they were in the same room, and if they weren't close enough, sharing looks of feigned longing to appease their audience. There were times he'd wrap his arm around her shoulders or he'd go that bit further and hold her around the waist. They never kissed, only touched. She remembered one point after a Quidditch game waiting for Theo and Blaise to get out of the boys changing room, with Draco, Pansy, and Ginny.

They had all stood off to the side, watching as other students walked back to the castle. Luna and Neville had taken off during the middle of the game, because Neville forgot about some plants that needing tending. Of course, Draco had made a rather crude joke about that. With Pansy and Ginny talking about an assignment they'd been given by Professor Firenze. Hermione relaxed back against Draco, feeling rather comfortable even if it was all just for show, while his chin rested on her shoulder and his hands held her hips for some time before wrapping around her stomach gently.

That moment would have been so nice, if she hadn't closed her eyes and saw Dolohov's face. She had given Draco a weak smile when he pulled back and started messaging her tense shoulders. His face only showing that he understood.

With Draco in class now, Hermione sat out on her favorite patch of earth, facing the Black Lake and watching the squid trying to catch a meal. Her friends usually didn't like it when she went off alone, while things had been calm they still feared someone would come up to her and hurt her. But, she felt perfectly fine with having a moment to herself, even if it was out in the snow. She had placed a warming charm over herself and was quite content on the blanket she brought with her and her Potion's textbook in her lap.

She didn't know how long she had been out there, glad that her classes were done for the day and she didn't have to worry about rushing to her next lesson. She wasn't surprised when a form plopped down beside her and an arm was thrown over her shoulder, she looked up at the sandy haired boy and returned his smile. They hadn't been alone with each other in so long, she just realized how much she missed him.

"It's been too long," he said, waggling his eyebrows and she laughed at him.

"Well, you've been busy with your new girlfriend," she returned and raised an eyebrow at him. "How are you and Ginny, by the way?"

Theo gave a shrug, but she saw his lips reveal a secret smile, a smile that made her envious of the redheaded girl. Would anyone ever look like that when they thought about her? Could someone look passed her problems, her flaws? At that thought, she looked down at her stomach and sighed.

"We're good," said Theo, wistfully, as he looked across the lake. "She doesn't push me, she's understanding, as hell. I told her what happened," he added, nervously. "You know..._what happened_."

Hermione's eyes widened just a little and she reached and took Theo's cold hand into her own. Having to tell that story once more had to have opened old wounds all over again, she knew. "And?" she asked. "Other than understanding, how did she take it?"

"She cried," he said with a small sigh. "No one's ever cried over me, Hermione. I mean, not like she did. It's as if she felt the pain I went through."

Hermione smiled at her friend. "That's because she loves you." He looked at her as if she'd grown a second head and she laughed at the expression. "Oh, come on, Theo. Who wouldn't fall in love with you? You're handsome, intelligent, you can make a girl laugh without overdoing it. You're easy to be around, and you make people feel special by the things you say and do. It's very easy to fall for you, Theo."

His cheeks colored, the flush more vibrant in the cold even with the warming charm. Her smile faltered a little when he continued to stare at her, his face an unreadable mask, aside from his blushing cheeks. He lifted his hand and cupped the side of her face when she looked away from him, making her look at him once more. When he leaned in she worried he was going to kiss her, but let out a breath of relief when he only touched his forehead to her own. "Thank you, 'Mione," he said quietly, his breath rushing across her face and smelling of mint. There was a long moment and neither of them moved. "I love you, you know?" he told her. "You're like a sister to me, I would do anything for you."

"Oh, Theo," she said and pulled away, unable to tame the tears that came to her eyes, placing a hand on one of Theo's now warm cheeks, the other ruffling his hair. Just realizing that this boy, since the very beginning, had been like family to her, protecting her when she most needed it. "I love you too."

Both of their smiles were of the watery variety and Hermione settled her head against his shoulder as she looked back out to the lake, wiping away the few tears that fell with the back of her hand. While her parents had gone, she wasn't left without family. No, no. She had Theo and Pansy and Blaise. Hell, she had Ginny, Luna, and Neville, as well. A certain blonde Slytherin even managed to slither into it and capture her heart. And boy did he capture it. He had her heart in his hands, unknowingly, and could easily break it at any time.

The silence was long, but comfortable as they lounged together. Easily slipping into the rolls they had previously had. Back when the only drama was dealing with Harry and Ron's anger of her 'cohorting' with Slytherins.

"You've seemed more cozy with Draco," Theo said after a while, tightening his one arm around her as he glanced down at her and she met his gaze with a brief eye roll.

"We're trying," she told him, her voice drifting to a quiet tone. "It needs to be believable."

"Oh, it's believable," he nodded, exaggeratedly. "Although, the fact that you haven't been caught snogging in the corridors is circulating," while Hermione looked at him in terror, he quickly added. "Not that you have to, you know. Some people just don't like PDA and Pansy and I have been throwing that out there. We know you two really don't get along well. It's a surprise Draco even did what he did."

Trying to wrap her mind around that and trying not to be too scared of the fact that they could be found out, due to a lack of lip locking, Hermione sighed. "It was bloody courageous, it was," she said, with her chin held high. "I'll never know how to thank him. How to repay him..."

"A little kiss might work- OW!" Hermione glared at Theo as she watched him rub his newly bruised arm. "Bloody hell, woman! No need to get violent, sheesh!"

"Oh, poor baby, want me to kiss it?" she asked, jokingly, but still she poked him out of irritation.

"Oh, how_ bleeding _sweet. This will be nice news for tomorrow. 'Hermione Granger leaves baby-daddy to shack up with Theodore Nott'. Poor, Red. Does she know, yet?"

Both of them jumped when they first heard his voice. Hermione smirked, while Theo frowned. Hermione patted the free spot on her other side, looking around to see a couple other students out to get some fresh air before dinner. "Come along, love," she said to him, encase anyone could hear them. "Theo and I were just talking about public affection and how we don't show enough."

Draco sat down, and she watched him stretch his legs out along the blanket. "Not enough, hm? What would satisfy him, a shag in the Great Hall?" Hermione slapped his arm, the same way she had Theo's, only Draco smirked devilishly at her.

"More along the lines of snogging," Hermione chided with a light blush on her cheeks.

"Ah."

"Yes, apparently some are wondering," she shrugged her shoulders. "But, I don't see why. We touch each other all the time."

"But, your humble viewers would like to see a kiss once and a while," Theo piped in. "Kinky sods," he said with a frown, only to smile when Hermione nudged him lightly.

She looked at Draco with a raised eyebrow and found him already staring at her intently. "Would you be all right with it?" he asked her, while Theo was in the proximity range of hearing, Draco's voice was devoid of any sarcasm or his usual prissy tone. If she were to place it into any one category she would say his voice was full of concern.

Raising one hand to his cheek, she swiped her thumb along his pale skin gently and looked into his beautiful eyes. "I'll be fine, Draco," as he opened his mouth so say something, she cut him off. "I swear, I will be all right with it. Whenever it has to happen."

Stuck in their own little bubble as they stared at each other, they were both unaware of the discomfort of their mutual friend, or that they had gathered a audience from afar. She found herself swimming in the depths of his silvery-blue irises. They were calling her in and trying to make her drown in their beauty. Quickly her eyes found somewhere else to look. His lips. Was it just her or were they coming closer?

"_Ahem_. You know it would be nice if you could do that when I'm not around," Theo said, breaking the lure. "Since we've just made it clear that Hermione is in fact like a sister to me. I really don't fancy seeing her snog."

Draco continued to look at her with a spark in his eyes she couldn't quite figure out, even as she glanced away and her hand dropped back into her lap. "I suggest you leave, then, Nott."

"Draco," Hermione said, her tone soft, but again chastising, and a little embarrassed that she'd been so caught up in the moment she completely forgot about Theo. Not to mention, the moment hadn't at all felt like they were putting on a show.

"Fine," Draco said with a sigh. "I'm sorry my little, ratty friend."

Hermione's hand came out and slapped his arm, completely appalled at what he just said to poor Theo. Just when she'd told him he was handsome. And by her book, Theo didn't look ratty at all. "Great, Draco," she said with a sigh, as Theo stood up and stomped away from them seething in self-conscious anger. "Just great."

"What the bloody hell did I do, now?"

_**/-/-/-/**_

_December 17th, 1996_

Hermione sat at lunch with her food spread all out before her. Porridge, bacon and eggs, and of course fruit. Since Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall had both expressed that she needed as much fruit and vegetables as possible during her pregnancy. While the fruit hadn't been there before, when Draco took his seat next to her he'd made sure she had it.

It had annoyed her as hell, but she soon forgave him when she took a bite from a strawberry. It wasn't long before she had dumped everything into the porridge bowl and stirred it around. Taking a testing bite, before she dug in with a small smile.

"Oh, that looks fowl," Theo said as he sat on her other side and Hermione looked to see Ginny wrinkling her nose in agreement.

"Well, you don't have to eat it, now do you?" she asked, rhetorically, and continued to eat her concoction.

Theo huffed childishly and laid his head on his folded arms while Ginny stroked his tawny hair. "He's just upset because he's not invited to Slughorn's Christmas party."

"Am not!" came Theo defensively, though he didn't sit up. And the pout on his face told her of his folly.

"You're not alone, mate," Draco said, setting his pumpkin juice down with a loathing sneer that was aimed at the head table and precisely at Slughorn. "I didn't get an invite either."

Hermione turned to him in surprise. "You didn't?" she asked, shocked because while Draco wasn't as excited about studying as her, he was right up there with her in the smarts. "I really can't believe that, both you and Theo are wonderful in your studies, aside from a few misunderstandings."

"Well, I invited him to come as my date," Ginny said, sighing, still petting her boyfriends hair as he sulked. "But, it appears he likes to whine. I guess I could just take someone else. Maybe Dean..."

"What?" Theo's head popped up and he looked at his girlfriend with a frown. "You are not going to take that fucking Gryffindick, not after he joined in on the 'Hate Hermione Parade'."

The snort couldn't be helped and Hermione coughed as she sucked down some pumpkin juice. Trying to smile at Draco when she felt his hand on her back, gently patting, but she could only manage a grimace.

"Gryffindick?" Draco asked while he continued to sooth her. "That's a new one. I like it."

"I-It's obscene," Hermione managed, her voice hoarse now after the pumpkin juice went down the wrong pipe and she was still clearing her throat in a means to help. When she finally felt her throat relax back to normal she looked over to tell Theo just what she thought about this new insult, only to shy away at the image of Theo and Ginny kissing.

"Oh," she squeaked and looked back to her nearly empty bowl of food. Glaring when she heard the rumble of Draco's laughter next to her.

_**/-/-/-/**_

When her first free period came around Hermione asked Draco if he would like to join her up in her rooms to study. After the events of Draco claiming the child, she had been given a strict talking to by McGonagall. She could have boys in her room, but no funny business. If there was any shenanigans occurring the portraits would notify her at once.

They had been sitting on the couch for a couple minutes, the clock ticking away and the paintings quiet to give them the peace they needed in order to work.

"I was thinking," Hermione started looking at Draco as she chewed on the end of her quill.

"When are your not?" he returned not looking up from his Potion's essay.

"Don't be a jerk."

With a sigh he finally looked at her. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding surprisingly sincere.

"I was just thinking, since Ginny is taking Theo to Slughorn's party and Blaise is taking Pansy... Well, I was wondering-" she looked down at her textbook and sighed. Why couldn't this be easier? It was so easy to lean into his embrace in public or hold his hand. Why was it so hard to ask him something in private? "Well, it's just-"

"Are you asking me out, Granger?"

"Hermione."

"Fine, _Hermione_."

"If you're going to be an ass about it, no. But if you are cordial, I would like to take you to Slughorn's party," she said, her annoyance with him urging her to get it out with a huff as she looked up at him.

"Are you taking pity on me because I wasn't invited," he asked, his frown and tense shoulders throwing her off.

"What? No!" she said and reached out to take his hand, almost afraid he'd get up and leave. Because she had seen him throw fits even over the smallest of things. "No, no." She shook her head, still annoyed, but not wanting him to think she asked out of pity. "I just thought- Well, to hold up appearances... And I would like to take you, you know, if you like..."

She stared into his eyes, getting lost in the maddening depths, watching as his frown decreased and softened. He didn't say anything, but he did nod slowly.

"Is that a yes, you'll go with me?"

"Yes, I'll go with you."

With a bright smile, Hermione instinctively leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. It was the feel of his smooth lips that shocked her, that made her truly think about what she had just done. She jumped back, eye wide, but too mortified that she actually kissed him to look away. The thought of kissing, even when Theo had brought it up, had made her shiver in fear because when she thought about the intimacy of the act, of how innocent a kiss could be, she thought about how all of that had been robbed from her. How sometimes even a simple touch still made her think about _that_ night.

It seemed not only had she shocked herself, but Draco as well. His eyes were just as wide as hers, if not wider. And his mouth was parted in his disbelief.

What surprised her more was that she didn't feel dirty, she didn't feel like she needed to run to the shower and scrub herself clean. And while that was all good and fine, she couldn't help thinking of Dolohov, anyway. And that made her want to run. How dare she think of that man's chapped, harsh lips, while she had just felt the most perfectly smooth mouth against hers just moments ago.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, throat thick with emotion, and stood up to leave.

Cool, long fingers quickly wrapped around her wrist and pulled her back down on the couch, the surprise leaving her with an 'oomph'. She looked at Draco, confused and ashamed, before his lips were pressed back against hers and his hand delved into her hair. Her eyes were wide for some time, before she allowed herself to enjoy the kiss. To enjoy the smoothness of Draco's lips. Dolohov forgotten for the moment, as she moved her lips in return. Eyes fluttering shut just as Draco's mouth parted as she felt the soft, wetness of his tongue slide along her lips.

**TBC**

**A/N:** I'm evil. I know.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Okay, I got busy! I'm sorry! But, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it and thank you ALL for the reviews! I love you! And I need to rant... A while ago there was this author on here and she (I think it was a she) had this amazing Ginny/Lucius Marriage Law fic and now I can't find it anywhere! The thing is, I can't even remember the name of the fic or her Author's penname... And now I'm stuck really wanting to read it and can't. *sighs* And I know, Ginny/Lucius? GROSS.. Not really. Don't knock it 'til you try it, people. And does anyone have a huge crush on Scabior? Mmm. He's lovely... NOW! ONTO THE STORY!

**Chapter 17**

Draco didn't know what to think when so suddenly Hermione's lips were pressed to his, and then they were gone. The look on her face was a bit disturbing, as she stared at him in utter shock. She looked completely baffled at what she had just done, almost horrified. And yes, there was shame on her face, too. He couldn't quite help his own reaction to what she did. The kiss had been so unexpected.

It felt good though, he had to admit.

He barely heard her apology, didn't even come to realize she was standing to flee, before his hand shot out and he wrapped his fingers around her wrist as gently as he could. Pulling her back to the couch to him. The shame was still on her face, but he didn't think about it much before he leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. He couldn't help his hand tangling in her curls, or that he was losing himself in her. Only to get sucked in deeper when she finally returned the attention and her lip pressed to his most deliciously.

He was almost amazed when her mouth part for his tongue. Listening to her gasp when the tip of his touched hers and they tangled in the most amazing dance. He'd only kissed a few others before. He wasn't some sex god, although he wasn't a virgin either, who knew the art of kissing like the back of his hand, but he could tell Hermione hadn't had the pleasures of a good snog before this moment. Especially when her body was fighting with itself, feeling her press close to him, before she moved away. The gesture repeated a couple times, while he was busy filing away the softness of her lips.

He suckled on her bottom lip, his hands playing over her lower abdomen, easing under her shirt and caressing the small bump of her stomach. Instantly he felt her tense. Felt her lips retreat along with her body this time.

They were both breathing heavily, now. And he watched as she ducked her head to hide the blush on her cheeks. It was her words that stilled him, the small, innocent voice that made her sound so fragile. "I'm sorry..."

Her hands were twitching, a tall tell sign that she was wanting to run as fast as she could, but she didn't know just where to run too.

Slowly he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, hoping it reassured her as much as he wanted it to. "Do not be sorry," he told her firmly, bringing his other hand beneath her chin, urging her to look at him. "Never be sorry if you are uncomfortable. You let me know if I go to far..."

She nodded and he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. Sighing quietly when she easily wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What are we doing here, Draco?" her voice was so soft, but inquisitive. He knew she really wanted to know what was the meaning behind the kiss, where was it going to lead them to in the future. But, he didn't know any of that. Not yet. Nothing was ever set in stone, and he wouldn't make her any promises. Not when he didn't know if he could keep them or not.

"We're surviving, Granger," he said, gruffly.

"It's Hermione," she chastised lightly.

He snorted, but it was a half hearted attempt, as he pressed his face into her unruly hair. "Fine, _Hermione._"

_**/-/-/-/**_

_December 19th, 1996_

It had been two days since they had kissed, and they hadn't since, aside from a peck here and there on the cheek. Hermione watched Draco out of the corner of her eye as he chatted with Blaise during lunch. Again she had made some sort of concoction with her food that made everyone turn their nose in disgust, all but Draco. He had grabbed his forked and took a bite, claiming the watermelon and fish wasn't too bad.

She had noticed him spit it into his napkin when he thought no one was looking. Taking it as a rather sweet gesture, and letting him think it had gone unnoticed. He after all, was seeming to understand her more than anyone now.

That night during the kiss, she had never felt so heated. Like her whole body was going to burst, but then the tickling touch of his hand was on her stomach... She had tried so hard not to think about Dolohov, but that night came back to her, haunting her, and Draco understood. Demanding her not to be sorry and to let him know if he ever took it too far.

The thought that he might kiss her again had been on her mind ever since. But she was unsure whether she wanted him to or not. The small kisses on the cheek didn't bother her, they rather made her feel good. Although, allowing his tongue into her mouth once more, and letting him touch her so _intimately_ was a whole other story.

It had felt good at the time, there was no denying it. No need to lie to herself. But, how could she allow whatever it was they shared to evolve? How could she when the man who impregnated her still stalked her dreams and woke her up every night, only to cry herself back to sleep?

She looked up when she heard the flapping of wings and she smiled when an owl swooped down before her and gave her the days addition of the _Daily Prophet._ She gave the bird a piece of her fish, before she unrolled the paper, and went to take a drink of her pumpkin juice, only to drop the cup when she read the headline.

'MUGGLE FAMILY KILLED.'

A picture of her childhood home stared back at her and she barely even heard the sound of her name being called as she scanned the article. _Oh, god... _

_'It is unknown why such a massacre was held secret, but finally word has reached the wizarding public that Hermione Granger, best friend and ex amore to Harry Potter, had been attacked a month prior to her return to Hogwarts. Her parents, a pair of Muggles, were horribly murdered. The details are to remain out of the public eye, sadly, but it has been stated by Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, that this incident was the product of Death Eaters...'_

Hermione couldn't read any more. She glared at the picture of Rita Skeeter, her vision blurring with tears. She hadn't wanted anyone to know. She had been content to allow herself the freedom to tell whom she wanted, but now... Her hands gripped the sides of the paper, the sound of it crinkling and tearing not reaching her ears as she got lost in her anger.

So infuriated and upset, her quick, uneven breathes had her seeing spots before she promptly passed out into a pair of strong arms.

_**/-/-/-/**_

When Hermione woke up it was with a grown. She felt the plush of a mattress beneath her and the soft, firm touch of someone holding her hand. She turned her head and very slowly her eyes fluttered open to find Draco sitting there on the chair beside her.

"Hermione?" he asked, leaning closer, his face devoid of emotion but he couldn't mask the concern in his voice.

Looking around, it didn't take much for her to figure out she was in the hospital wing. The 'why' of the situation slowly coming to her as well. Popping up in individual scenes: the owl, the _Daily Prophet_, the front page article with her home displayed in ruins, her rage at the very sight of a smug looking Rita Skeeter. That- that... witch!

"Hermione," Draco's voice was soft to her ears and she closed her eyes and shook her head as she pushed herself up to sit.

How in the world had the Ministry found out? She had thought the Order kept the knowledge under lock and key. That when she wanted the world to know, she would tell them. Of course, she wouldn't shout it from the rooftops, nor willingly go into an interview with anyone from the _Prophet_... She would have taken her story to Mr. Lovegood and his _Quibbler_.

Very slowly she felt the muscles in Draco's hand move and his fingers squeezed her own gently, reassuringly. She finally managed to look at him, unable to hide her tears. "I didn't want it to get out like that," she managed, raising her free hand to her face to hide her sob behind her fingers.

There was a beat of a moment, before she heard Draco stand and murmur for her to scoot over a little. She did so without hesitation. Allowing him to wrap her up in his arms as he lay next to her and she cried into his chest.

"Shh... It was only part of the story, Hermione. It's all right. Shh," his voice was soothing. "I got you, you'll be okay. I got you," his voice went on like a mantra, calming her so, that she fell back asleep in his arms but not before she heard him speak the softest words that made her heart soar. "I'm here for you, love."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_December 20th, 1996_

When the day of Slughorn's party came around, Hermione had more or less changed her mind on attending. She didn't see the point. She'd just be stared at the whole time anyway and she didn't want to be the main attraction, like some sort of animal at the zoo. She wanted to be Hermione. Just Hermione. Not the pregnant girl of Hogwarts who lost her parents to Death Eaters.

But of course she wasn't given a choice. She had settled down with a book, already telling Draco earlier at lunch that she didn't want to go, when the girls burst through the portrait hole. She'd never felt like such a doll in all her life. Pansy went through her clothes, Luna began flicking her wand about to do her hair, and Ginny charmed on some make-up, even as she protested.

When she looked in the mirror, she rolled her eyes at her belly. The dress was pretty, pink, and simple, and she was grateful Pansy didn't pick out something ridiculous but her stomach still stuck out. Even though it wasn't huge, it was evident she was pregnant.

With a sigh she looked at her friends. Ginny, of course, was looking beautiful in green, hair down but swept out of her eyes with a pin. Pansy, in a wonderfully suited black dress and green heels, her hair oddly curly. And Luna, well, she wasn't quite sure what Luna was wearing. It almost had the shape of a tree and was the color of peach and gold... It sparkled, but nonetheless, she looked dazzling as well.

"I already told Draco I didn't feel up to going," she told them for the umpteenth time, subconsciously pulling at her dress as if she could hide the bump.

Pansy laughed. "Hermione, love, the guys are getting him ready."

With another sigh, her shoulders sunk in defeat. When the time came around for the party she was ushered out of her room to meet the guys down near the dungeons. She was surprised to see Neville there with them, usually he only hung around when Luna or Ginny was near. But what was even more surprising was his robes. He looked rather dapper, when she had thought he was going to be a waiter for the party.

She smiled when Draco came to her side and took her hand, glad the dungeons were dimly lit as her cheeks heated up when he brushed his lips across the sensitive skin, just in case they had some onlookers.

"I thought Neville wasn't invited.." Hermione said, looking up at him, while their other friends conversed and laughed over nonsense.

Her eyebrow raised a fraction at his smirk, but he didn't look away from the other Gryffindor. "Blaise asked on his behalf..." he started, finally meeting her eye. "Of course, that was after the nitwit planted his fist in my face."

Hermione's gasp was lost on her lips when she saw the bruise forming under Draco's eye and the small, slither of a cut on his cheekbone. She could only stare and when their friends started walking, she only came to when his hand slipped to her back and he led her along after the others.

"Neville did that? Neville Longbottom?" she finally got out, looking ahead of them at her fellow Gryffindor. During their first few years at Hogwarts Neville had always been a bit heavy set, but as he got older he lengthened up, getting taller and rather lanky. He hadn't looked like he could throw a punch then, and he sure didn't look it now. He was still baby-faced, utterly adorable, and sweet. She just couldn't imagine him hitting anybody... "What did you say to him?" she asked turning of Draco with a frown. Even as she thought that Neville hitting anyone was thoroughly impossible, Draco had the most irate talent of making anyone want to beat him to a bloody pulp with only a few words.

He had the audacity to look sheepish and her frown easily turned into a glare.

"I might have asked him how his plants were doing..." Draco shrugged dismissively.

"_Draco Malfoy..._"

"I know! What I said was crude and I would not like to repeat it, it would make your ears bleed," he said, trying to joke, but Hermione wasn't laughing. "If it's any consolation, I now have a black eye _and _they have both been apologized to," he then grimaced. "To which Luna said it was extraordinarily nice of me to ask and that Neville _waters_ her just fine."

Hermione's face went slack with shock and she looked ahead once again to see a soft kiss shared between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. She then snorted as she glanced to Draco, placing a hand over her mouth to stop any more laughter from spilling out.

"What?" the word almost came out as a sneer.

Hermione shook her head. "While I'm surprised they've gone that far, I think that was better punishment then Neville's punch," and she couldn't stop the giggle.

"Oh, shut up," but the harsh words came out on a laugh he tried to hide and Hermione could only grin up at him before they entered the party.

Her smile no sooner fell, because the whole party went silent when they walked in. Draco immediately wrapped his arm more securely around her and she nearly burrowed into his side. If it weren't for Professor Slughorn coming over, being his usually jovial self. Giving Draco a gently slap on the back and shaking Hermione's hand, thanking them for coming, before he did the same for the others.

The party commenced, albeit a bit less boisterous then it had been before they arrived. She drank some pumpkin juice and nipped a couple finger foods off the passing tray the waiters carried around. Hermione calmed some more with Draco constantly at her side. But then Theo and Blaise pulled him away to talk with some other boys and Hermione was left alone in the corner of a couple hanging drapes.

"Hey, Hermione..."

She jumped, spinning around to face the voice, holding her hand to her heart. The sight of Harry standing their made her heart jump and she stepped back on instinct. After the way they had treated her and then Draco when he stepped up to both him and Ron, she was hesitant and rightly so.

"Harry..."

There was a long moment of silence and Hermione looked over the room to find someone... anyone... Pansy was having a discussion with Neville. Luna was talking to a very pale man, and though she knew better he looked like a vampire. Ginny and Theo were currently making goo-goo eyes at each other and Draco 's back was to her as he spoke to Professor Snape.

"You look nice," Hermione turned back to him as he blurted out the words. A tall tell sign he was struggling to keep up a conversation with her.

"Look- what is it you want, Harry?" she asked him with a sigh. "You haven't spoken to me for over a month... Why start again, now?"

She watched his mouth open and close a few times, before his head hung and he shook it in defeat. "I just wanted to see how you were doing... I - _we -_ saw the _Daily Prophet_. Why didn't you tell us?"

Hermione nearly bristled with anger but she took a deep breath and instead of laying it on him, she spoke calmly, much to the dislike of her raging hormones. "I told you I had a rough summer. I told you and I would have told you all of it... But you decided I wasn't good enough for you anymore," she shook her head when he opened his mouth to speak. "No, Harry- because I affiliated myself with a couple of _innocent_ Slytherins you ostracized me. _Me_. And I have been here for you through everything, since the moment I met you. I never once backed down. Not once did I ever run away crying because things were too scary and things with you Harry James Potter is a roller coaster ride at the scariest amusement park."

She looked around the room and saw Draco was now staring at her intensely. She smiled sadly at him in return. Almost surprised when she turned back around and found Harry silent and looking at his shoes in dismay. Calmly, and without shedding one tear, she spoke, "I loved you like a brother and you threw me away like a damaged broom."

Hermione walked away before he could reply and she walked up to Draco, leaning against him when he wrapped one of his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes and let his cologne do it's thing as she took a couple deep breathes. Looking up, she caught his concerned expression. "Walk me back to my room, will you?"

"Of course, love."

**TBC**


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: BIT OF A SHORTY. But, I was really wanting to get it out! So, yeah... I hope you all enjoy and don't hate me for not making Rita eat her own words... Whoops. Bit of a spoiler there wasn't it... Hmmm. I love you all! Thank you all for the reviews! =)

**Chapter 18**

"What did Potter say to you?"

Hermione sighed and just shook her head as they walked up to the portrait, moving away from him as she opened her mouth to speak the password. But she didn't get out a word as Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her to face him. She looked down at his shoes, hardly seeing them in the dark corridor.

"What did the bastard say, Hermione?"

The light touch of his finger beneath her chin made her look up and she found him frowning down at her in worry. She shook her head and shrugged. It wasn't like Harry had said anything bad. But the situation, itself, was hard. She kept looking into his eyes as his hand moved up to cup the side of her face gently and she turned her head into the touch, lightly kissing his palm. Almost out of instinct and catching herself.

Her eyes widened briefly and she looked to see him staring at her, a small hint of a smile on his lips. His lips... She stared at them for the longest of time, wishing to feel them against her own once more. Slowly she backed away and turned back to the portrait. Her cheeks were warm as they flushed and once again she was glad that where she stood was dimly lit.

"Hermione..." his tone was questioning, concerned and her heart ached. She wanted to kiss him so badly, but she didn't want to get hurt. Even when she knew he would never hurt her, she was still scared. "Hermione," this time he placed his hand on her shoulder and she spun around so fast she didn't even think as she pressed her lips to his quickly.

"Ow," he said when she pulled back. He looked mildly stunned and touched his fingers to his lips.

"Oh Merlin..." she shook her head, placing her hands over her face in embarrassment. While she'd wanted it to be soft and smooth, she more or less attacked him.

"Hey, now," she heard him, his tone so gentle she couldn't really believe it, and felt his hands rest over hers, gently pulling them away from her face. She couldn't look at him, too mortified to look into those beautiful eyes of his. "I'm not bleeding, I promise."

Hermione snorted very unladylike which made her blush intensify. She heard him chuckle and only looked up at him when his arms wrapped around her waist and his hands clasped at her lower back, leaving not but an inch between them. His smirk was positively evil and she managed an eye roll.

"I didn't know you wanted a snog..."

"Shut up," she said, but the demand was very weak and her flushed cheeks weren't helping. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder and sighed. "He asked why I didn't tell him," she felt his body go stiff at her sudden change of topic. "About my parents," she clarified. "And I told him how I truly felt. How he hurt me and let me down..."

They were both silent for a long moment, the only noise was the rustling of the painting, who was very uncomfortable with the tender moment before her. "By the way he looked when we left, I say that he finally gets the message."

"You think?" she asked pulling away slightly to look up at his face, smiling when he brushed a stray hair behind her ear.

"Yeah," he nodded and then ever so lightly brushed his lips against hers.

Hermione stiffened for a moment, relaxing when his lips moved for a second time and then a third. So soft and sweet, making her melt in his embrace as she leaned against him and grasped the lapels of his jacket. It wasn't as passionate as the first time, but she still felt this jolt through her body that reached all the way down to her toes.

It was Draco who pulled away first, resting his forehead against hers as they caught their breath and she smiled when she felt his fingers brush through her hair.

"That was nice," she said quietly, glad that this corridor and part of the castle was empty now.

She felt the warm breathes against her lips when he laughed and she pulled back to look. Giving him a wide smile when he placed a chaste kiss on her lips and then turned her towards the stern looking portrait.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Draco."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_January 5th, 1997_

Christmas and New Years passed since Harry arrived back at Hogwarts, he'd been quite annoying. Always trying to get her attention, although at meals he always went over to the Gryffindor table to sit with Ron, he still gave her looks from across the room. It was starting to unnerve her a bit. It was like he was holding on by a string, trying to keep their friendship alive, telling her he was sorry every time they passed in the halls or when he caught her alone in the library. While she gave Harry credit for trying, Ron just glared at her every time he saw her and she returned the favor.

During the Holidays she stayed at Hogwarts with the four Slytherins. Ginny, Neville, and Luna, of course, going back home to see their families. Theo had been a wreck without Ginny around, but Hermione did her best to keep him company and make him laugh, much to Draco's chagrin.

She laughed whenever she caught Draco frowning when he saw her showing the tawny haired boy affection. And Theo would joke around and pull her closer. Well, as close as he could with her growing belly between them.

Not a lot had changed over the Holidays, aside from the fact that her and Draco were growing to like snogging each other very much. Hermione even learn to enjoy the stokes of his tongue in her mouth, more so when she was the one exploring. She did have her moments, still. Stopping abruptly when a particular memory made itself present. There were times when she wished she could obliviate herself. She'd even asked Madam Pomfrey once or twice during an appointment to which she only received a pitiful look.

She was currently sitting in her rooms, enjoying a book and hiding away from an ever prominent pain in her backside; Harry. It wasn't a moment that she turned the page when the sudden appearance of a book on her table startled her and she looked around suspiciously. She knew no one was in her dorm, but still. She leaned over, placing a hand on the side of her stomach and frowning when she saw the cover.

_'How To Love Your Child' A True Story and Self-Help Book by Feidlimid Redbrush. _

Very slowly she set her Charms text aside and picked up the book. For some time now, when she was alone she thought about when the child was born and how she would feel towards it. Lately she'd been so absorbed into the ruse her and Draco were pulling off, she forgot that the baby she carried wasn't his.

With a sigh she leaned back into the plush couch and gripped the book between her hands, wondering who banished it to her room and why... Of course, the why was more obvious. She had doubted her ability to love the child within her and with another beat she opened the book to find a note written on the blankness of the first page.

_Dear,_

_Miss Granger_

_I thought this book would help you accept what is happening. I know it is not my place to think such a thing, but I wanted you to know that you are not alone. Many other witches have been in your shoes, and I just so happen to be one of them. My story, while not as horrific as yours, left me broken for years. And I just wanted to let you know that there is no moving on from what happened, there's no forgetting either. This might not seem encouraging, but I am not yet finished. _

_You will find love. You will find someone who makes you laugh and gives you butterflies. Someone who might help you carry the pain and lift the burden on your shoulders. Don't think you can't be happy, and don't allow yourself to think that you shouldn't be happy when you laugh or when you find yourself enjoying a moment. While you have to live with what happened, it will not continue to rule your life forever. While their is no moving on from it, their is always a way to look it over and be happy.  
_

_This book is about a witch who went through the same thing we have. She was left destroyed and pregnant, disowned by her family, and was brave enough to love the child that was conceived in such a vile act. I myself was not able to keep my child, but I still see him everyday. And I love him for the man he has become. He is courageous and smart, and while a Slytherin like his sperm donor, he is much different from him which pleases me to no end. He doesn't know I am his mother. And I don't think I will ever tell him. Because while I had wanted him raised in a good family, he had not been. Call me selfish, but I don't want him to hate me. _

_Just know, you can love that child you carry no matter its biological father. _

_Sincerely,_

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

Hermione wiped the tears from her cheeks, only noticing she was crying when a fat teardrop fell and splattered on the page. It took a while to compose herself, gently running her finger around the note McGonagall left her. To know that one of her teachers had been through the same predicament was overwhelming. She wondered briefly who her son was, but easily gave up when she read the note over again. It didn't matter. The woman loved her child anyway. And Hermione wasn't going to ever mention or ask the older woman about it.

When she finally stopped sniffling, Hermione turned to the second page and began reading. Captured from the first sentence, she didn't put the book down until dinner. The book was sad and terrifying. Every single moment had been in full detail. Feidlimid had been only sixteen. She had livid in Ireland and was born in the mid 1800s. Her family was of Pureblood, but she had never cared over such things. She liked to run around and be free, and if not outside she liked to loose herself in books, something that reminded Hermione of herself. One night Feidlimid had been taking a walk with a book in her hand when she was attacked. Hermione cringed and cried openly as she went from page to page through the attack, reminded of her own at some points.

The book had spoke about her parents finding her and keeping her locked away until they found she was pregnant and then she was cast out of the house. Given only a rucksack and a wad of money to get by. She later worked at a tavern as a barmaid to earn extra money. She had found friendship with the bar owner and only figured she loved him after her baby was born. A daughter, that she confesses her love over profusely.

That's how she was found, tears dripping down her cheeks and staring down at the Author's picture waving at her as she hugged a young girl. The words 'You won't believe how easy it is...' staring up at her.

'Hermione..." She looked up when she heard Draco's voice and she burrowed her face into his chest when he sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. His hand was comforting in her hair, his lips spreading a warmth over her scalp as he kissed her bushy curls. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, and for a moment she didn't speak. "This book-" she finally said, not moving away from Draco, but pulling the book closer to settle on Draco's thigh. She watched as he reached out and grabbed the spine of the book, flipping it over to it's face-cover. The title was a whisper on his lips and she tilted her head to look up at him. Finding him looking right back at her. Abandoning the book, his hand wiped away her tears and he gently pressed his lips to hers. "It's so sad," she said, when he pulled away. "You know, I've always known others have gone through this, but to actually read... To actually hear someone else's story..." she blinked back her tears, leaning her face into Draco's hand. "I feel like I'm not alone. Does that sound horrible?"

Her voice sounded weak even to her own ears, but she couldn't help it.

"No," his tone was soft and sincere, she knew he wasn't lying. But, when had Draco ever lied to her? At least lately? Never. She leaned up and kissed him softly, without seeing any haunting memories. They sat there for a while, enjoying each other and kissing tenderly.

When they parted, Draco smiled at her and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Let's get you and junior something to eat, huh?"

"Junior?" Hermione asked, it was really the first time they had ever mentioned the baby as it being both of theirs, when truthfully it wasn't. But, she felt her heart fluttering all the same.

He seemed sheepish for a split second before he magically schooled his features. "Well, I will be it's father, so, yes. Junior."

She smiled at him as he stood up, setting the book on the coffee table. She took his hand when he held it out to her and kissed him soundly before letting him lead her to the Great Hall for dinner.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_January 6th, 1997_

Hermione was the first one to enter Transfigurations and when she did, she couldn't help going right up to her Professor and wrapping her arms around the older woman. She felt her tense, but then warm arms wrapped right back around her, McGonagall's body relaxing as they stood their for a moment. They parted only when they heard the sound of the other students coming into the room, both of them having to wipe away stray tears, before Hermione walked away and took her seat. Smiling calming at Draco when he sat next to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, reaching up and feeling her damp cheek.

"I'm perfect," she replied, kissing his jaw.

"Miss Granger, please refrain from showing such affection in my classroom," came the stern voice of their Professor. When she looked at the woman she saw that the command was half-hearted.

They shared a secret smile that was sad and soft.

"Sorry, Professor McGonagall."

**TBC**


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! I'm glad you all love this and it just makes me so happy to hear what you all have to say about it. There was a while there that life was hard and I was unsure about finishing this. I think there was only a couple chapter up at that time, but now... You all have encouraged me to keep it up and not give up. So, thank you. =) And for some of you, McGonagall was born in 1925. So, I couldn't really imagine her having a child around her fifties (although people do and that's all good and fine). But, it isn't Draco or Theo. And I won't be telling you, sorry. I might have to remind you I'm a little evil... Mwahaha... No? Okay, then. ENJOY!

**Chapter 19**

_January 25th, 1997_

Hermione was nervous. She sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her legs dangling off the side, and knee bobbing up and down with her anxiety. She could feel Draco's eyes on her, the hairs on the back of her neck were telling her so. But she did look at him, her eyes were staring towards the door to Madam Pomfrey's office, waiting for the Medi-witch to come out with the damned potion already.

She perked up, a small smile forming on her face when she saw the older woman coming and she finally looked at Draco to find him standing up at the other witch's appearance, sticking his hands in his pant pockets and seeming almost as nervous as she felt.

"Okay, Ms. Granger," Madam Pomfrey said and held out the vial of clear liquid to her. "Are you ready?"

Hermione stared at the potion given to her, hesitating before she grasped it, her finger gingerly curling around the glass. She swallowed nervously, almost afraid. This was it. Over the past few days Hermione had wondered about when the time came, would she want to know the sex of the child growing in her womb? Could she handle knowing if it was a boy for girl? She feared it was a boy. A boy that would end up just like it's true father. The thought was dreadful. Then she remembered the book. Feidlimid Redbrush's book. And Professor McGonagall... Both women bore children that did not take after a single thing from their father, according to what she knew, but what exempted her child from the same thankful fate.

"Hermione?"

She turned and looked at Draco. He was now sitting next to her, his eyebrows furrowed deep, though his expression was full of concern. She briefly noticed that he was holding onto her free hand, his fingers laced with her own and he gave her palm a reassuring squeeze. "You wont leave me will you? You'll truly stay with me?" she asked, unable to help her voice from quivering.

His frown was more confused. "Of course, I am. I promised you I would," he said and Hermione nodded, closing her eyes. It took a few moments, a clock nearby letting her know just how many minutes were ticking by.

"Okay... I'm ready."

Her eyes opened and she was faced with a smiling Madam Pomfrey. "Alright, dear," the woman took out her wand and Hermione held up the potion, however looked at the Medi-witch for assistance. "Now you're going to drink the potion, and then I will cast the untrasonography charm and we should know soon. It can take up to ten minutes before we get anything, though. So, don't worry if nothing appears right away, alright dear?"

"What will appear, Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked, needing all the details before she could go any further. "I mean, how will we know?"

"The tip of my wand will glow blue if it is a boy. If it is a girl it will glow pink," Hermione sighed slightly at that information. It didn't seem at all hard or painful, that was definitely a plus. "It's all rather simple, Ms. Granger."

Hermione closed her eyes again mentally counting, '_one, two, three._' She finally raised the potion to her lips, beginning to grimace when her mouth suddenly went dry. But then she started tasting strawberries, missing the swish of the older witch's wand. Looking to the vial she thought it a rather silly potion. Hermione handed it back to Madam Pomfrey, who took it and stored it away on a nearby stand.

Now they had to wait.

Minutes ticked by ever so slowly, it almost seemed like hours. But when Hermione glanced down at her Muggle watch, she noticed it had only been five minutes since she took the potion. With a sigh, she leaned her head on Draco's shoulder, bringing his hand over to rest in her lap as she stroked the top of his hand gently, tracing his fingers with her own, needing something to do while they waited. And this seemed like the only thing that would calm her nerves.

It took exactly ten minutes before anything happened. Madam Pomfrey let out a rather surprised sound that caught Hermione's attention and she raised her head off of Draco's shoulder slowly. Looking at the tip of the woman's wand. She watched as the glow struggled between the colors and then Hermione nearly cried when it finally settled and they were all left staring at the soft pink, pulsing glow.

She threw her arms around Draco's shoulders careful with her belly at the awkward turn, and sniffling as she burrowed her face into his neck. "It's a girl," she whispered, sounding amazingly pleased with this news. "Oh, thank Merlin, it's a girl," she said, her voice caught in her throat. She felt so overwhelmed and happy that she wasn't having a boy, knowing that her reaction would have been dreadful if it had been, the astronomy tower had been on her mind. She clung to Draco as she began to cry, and melted into his arms when they wrapped around her gently, his voice whispering soft words into her ear.

Hermione didn't notice, but the tears that appeared in Draco's eyes weren't lost on the Medi-witch.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_January 28th, 1997_

Draco's free period after lunch was spent up in Hermione's rooms, studying and getting their homework done. The scratch from their quills and the crinkle of them turning pages was all the noise they made, leaving them in an otherwise comfortable silence. Once and a while he would glance at her from the corner of his eye. Watching as she chewed on the tip of the feathered quill, her scrunched quizzical brow hidden by a curtain of bushy brown hair as she concentrated on her school work.

At times when he let his eye wander, he would find himself fixated by her belly. Round and protruding with the child she carried. She seemed to have a bit of a glow to her skin and he couldn't help thinking how annoyingly beautiful she was. It was only annoying because he kept being entranced by it, she stole his focus every time he saw her. He was turning into a Nancy-boy. While it was a bit bothersome, in the end he didn't particularly care.

In the back of his mind he was always reminded that the child, _the baby girl_, was not his. But in truth, it was. Not by blood, no. Although, he could find himself already attached and he hadn't even met her, hadn't even felt her kick in her mothers stomach. And each time Hermione told him about the incidents he wished he'd been there. It had only happened once or twice so far, so he wasn't worried.

Blaise and Theo had made fun of him numerous amount of times when they caught him staring at her. And all he could offer them was a simple 'fuck off', before his attention was once again captivated.

Now she sat there, beside him, unaware that he was falling head first into a pool of emotions he couldn't even name. And it sucked. He hated it and loved it at the same time.

He wished his mother was around, so she could help him decipher what he was feeling. Why did his heart pound quicker every time he saw her? Why did his palms sweat at the thought of kissing her? Why did he feel completely at ease just being in her very presence?

He sighed disgustedly. He wasn't used to this, at all! All this emotional baggage... He never had it growing up, so he always felt so uncomfortable when it came up and bit him on the ass.

Hell, he'd been so uncomfortable and frigid after his 'stay' with Greyback, he had Snape obliviate him. It had been too much to handle. Now all he knew was the minor things that had happened, his brain hurt whenever he questioned what else had occurred. So, he didn't know and couldn't even speculate that he had been defiled.

Comparing the two seemed wrong. His feelings, whatever they were, for Hermione had nothing at all in comparison to his feelings on the matter of Greyback. Both made him uncomfortable, but in two extensively different ways.

"Is something wrong?" her voice snapped him out of his daze and he raised an eyebrow, finding Hermione looking at him, concern etched into her features. Her hair now tucked behind her ear and her quill setting in the middle of her textbook.

All he could do was shake his head and he watched her lips turn into a smile, his own breaking out when she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. Her lips were so smooth, it was almost impossible to think that lips could be so soft... When she pulled away she yelped and he jumped, thinking something was wrong.

"What is it?" he nearly rolled his eyes at the frantic tone of his voice.

She shook her head and smiled up at him brightly before she took his hand and then placed it on the side of her belly. His eyes flew wide when he felt the lightest of movements beneath his fingers. He leaned forward, looking down at her stomach in complete and utter awe, as he placed his whole palm and spread out his fingers over her sensitive skin. "Wow..." It was the only thing he could comprehend, the only thing that made sense to say. What else could he say?

_**/-/-/-/**_

The look on Draco's face had been astronomically stunning. Hermione stared at his face while he continued to watch her belly as if he might be able to detect the movement with his eyes as well as feel it with his hand.

"You know, Madam Pomfrey said that the baby... _She_, should be able to hear us," she spoke softly, almost a whisper but loud enough for him to hear. His reaction was to look at her like she was crazy and she chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, come on. Give it a shot, it'll stimulate her. She might move some more," it was getting easier to think of the baby as a being now. As a little girl. _Her_ daughter. Well, _their_ daughter. If Draco was absolutely positive about staying with her through this. Because she could only imagine the inner ravings he must have, since the child wasn't his.

She observed silently. Heeding the way he slowly leaned his head down closer to her belly, his hand moving across her abdomen to the other side of her monumental globe of a stomach... And to think, it was only going to get bigger... She noticed his Adams apple bob nervously, his eyes flickering to her uncertainly. She could only smile, providing a nod of encouragement for him to continue.

"Um-" he cleared his throat. A moment passed and he sighed with a roll of his eyes and she could only imagine what he was thinking. Most likely something along the lines of '_get straight you fucking ponce. It's a fucking stomach, speak to it and then be done!_' While he was nice to her, he was still a dick at times and it wouldn't bother her if he was really thinking that. "_I can do this_," she heard him mutter and she subconsciously nodded again. "Hey, little one..." he said hesitantly, wincing at his own words. "I'm your- Well, I'm..." he looked to her once again.

Hermione slowly brought one of her hands up and brushed her finger through his hair, "Your her daddy, Draco," she said quietly. The quiver in her voice a response to her nerves on the subject. And again she questioned herself if he would stay.

Very slowly a smile appeared on his face. It was small, but it was a smile nonetheless. "Yeah," he breathed out, looking back to her belly. "I'm your daddy."

Hermione felt her breath leave her body, her heart nearly exploded with the sincerity in his voice, and the open devotion on his face. '_I'm your daddy._' She shook her head and had to look away, although couldn't quite quench down the urge to cry when his thumb was gently stroking her skin just below her belly button.

'_I'm your daddy._'

_**/-/-/-/**_

_February 10th, 1997_

Hermione was trying desperately to get to her classes on time, but with her pregnancy she couldn't run. She hadn't even the energy to hurry. She was tired, she was cranky, and her back and feet were killing her. She more than once growled at people to get out of her way. She actually growled. Then she broke into tears when a third year pushed passed her, causing her to drop her bag and all of its content spilled out onto the floor.

She wasn't supposed to bend over to pick things up, so she was left to squat down with a hand on her back as she one by one picked up her books and papers from the floor. People passed her, not even acknowledging that she just might need help. Until a pair of hands grabbed her potions text and she looked up to find a pair of bright green eyes looking at her, pleading with her not to shut him out.

Standing, she took the book he offered to her and set it into her bag, but there was still more to get. When she went to squat once more, he waved his hands and shook his head almost violently.

"No, no," he said before crouching down, getting on his hands and knees while he gathered all of her stuff together in a pile. "I'll get it, you shouldn't stress yourself."

She raised a curious brow, but said nothing until he stood up with his arms full, nearly dropping it all in his rush to get up. She sniffled and wiped away the tears on her face. She was rather grateful, he'd saved her from having to put any extra strain on her back. "Thank you, Harry." She told him, opening up her book bag, so he could stuff all the junk into it.

"It's no problem," he said, blushing a little, pushing his hands into the pockets of his robes once her school things were safely back inside her bag. "I'm mean... We're still friends. I help my friends."

She stared at him for a long moment after that, and she could tell she was making him uncomfortable. If him shifting from one foot to the other was anything to go by. A part of her didn't care, but then she slowly smiled at him. It wasn't exactly genuine and nor was it insincere. He was trying and she acknowledged that.

"I can't forgive you right away, Harry-"

"I'm not asking for your forgiveness, Hermione," he interrupted her, much to her annoyance. However, she let him continue. "What I did... Abandoning you- I've had some things I've been dealing with too since this summer- and that's no excuse, I should have been there for you, but I think what I've been doing took away my ability to rationalize."

She couldn't stop the snort that came or the incredulous look on her face. She'd been hanging around Blaise and Theo far too much. "Rationalize. You, Harry?"

His cheeks colored further and she relented with a sigh, but before she could say anything, he spoke again. "I know I'm not exactly the type to think things through. I run out into the unknown, guns a blazing," she smiled at the Muggle term. "But I do try, and I've been meeting with Dumbledore, he's been helping me out," she opened her mouth to ask. "Please, don't," he said raising his hand to stop her from questioning what was going on. "I'm not allowed to tell anyone. I haven't even mentioned anything to Ron. Just know, that I really am sorry, Hermione," he said and she watched as his head ducked down and he looked at his shoes forlornly. "I'm sorry about your parents. I'm not saying it because I feel guilty, I'm saying it because I mean it. Although, I do feel guilty about not being there for you, not helping you through the pain..."

The water works started again, stinging her eyes, and she could just see passed the blur of tears, just making out the alarmed look on Harry face. "Oh, shit," she laughed a little at his choice of words, but couldn't stop the current onslaught. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry!"

She laughed again and lightly hit his arm. "I'm pregnant, Harry. I can't help getting emotional when you say things like that. Don't be sorry," she then told him, trying to wipe the tears away as more and more people were starting to notice.

It seemed Harry noticed too, because he looked at a fifth year and glowered at the poor boy. "Stop staring and get to class," she nearly laughed again, because he sounded just like Professor Snape for a moment there.

"Hermione?" She turned towards the all too familiar voice and smiled through her hormonal state. Draco stood there, just a few feet away, surveying the scene and looking like he might pummel Harry. "What happened?" he then moved forward, bringing his hands up to clear away the tears with gentle caresses of his thumbs. "What did _he_ do?" the venomous words were directed at Harry and she watched the Slytherin shot him a malevolent scowl.

"Nothing," she said, placing her hands over Draco's with a sniffle and trying to calm herself. "I dropped all of my stuff and he helped me pick it up."

His head turned quickly back to her. "And you're crying over that?" she could tell he noticed the harsh way he spoke, when he winced shortly after. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she said and then looked back to Harry. "I think we've come to an understanding, haven't we, Harry?"

Harry's posture had stiffened since the arrival of the Slytherin, and Hermione noticed that his expression was a little disgusted at the display but she wouldn't let that damper her mood. She didn't forgive him, but she felt like maybe she could someday.

"Right," her fellow Gryffindor said with a jerky nod of his head.

"Want me to escort you to your next class, love?" Draco asked, wrapping his arm around her waist. For show or just because, she didn't know. They had grown on one another since they started this faux pas and feelings had surely rooted and bloomed, at least on her end. And it didn't seem he minded when they snogged.

"Sure," she smiled up at him and then offered a pleasant smile to Harry. "See you around, yeah?" she said, letting Draco turn her around so they could get to the next class they shared together.

"Wait, Malfoy!"

Both of them turned around to look at Harry, Hermione's nerves twitching, and Draco's hand squeezed her hip lightly.

"You better take good care of her," the 'or else', while not said, was easily interpreted.

**TBC**


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Just so you are aware, some of you have made me cry. And when I say this, I don't mean bad crying. I mean, 'omg, they really like this and my writing' crying. My family has told me for years that I should start writing books, but I always thought they were being biased. I've never thought anything I've written was good enough and with that have deleted many original stories without even finishing the first chapter... But, wow, you guys are amazing and I love you all. And I wanted to congratulate Adrienne L. Mendal for passing your classes! =) Also for those who want to know yes, you might, maybe, possibly, I'm not sure yet, find out who McGonagall's son is. I've been thinking over baby names and have come up with one, but if anyone has suggestions, I'm willing to consider them! Now onto the story! Oh, and sorry that there hasn't been any lemons. It will come, I promise.

**Chapter 20**

_February 27th, 1997_

The days passed by like a blur and Hermione was being spread thinly between school-work and friends. Harry was back in her life, not like he had been before the summer, but they seemed a little bit closer than before, they understood each other on a more mature level if one needed to pinpoint it. They didn't hang out every day and sometimes things were so busy she didn't even notice him at meals or when they happened to share a class together. It wasn't that she was purposely ignoring him, she was just so engrossed in her studies and trying not to overexert herself at the same time, she didn't have time to lift her head and smile his way.

Today though, Hermione was walking with Harry to lunch. But his talk of Quidditch was boring her quickly and she was tuning him out. She really didn't understand the wild fascination boys had with the sport. Then again, Ginny loved it too... She didn't get it, maybe it was her fear of flying that put her off.

She gasped when her shoulder rammed into another and she began apologizing immediately, but stopped when she saw just who it was she bumped into. His hair was as red as ever and it took a moment for the shock in his eyes to fade and be replaced with a glare.

"Watch where your going, slut!" the acidic tone of Lavender Brown's voice cut through the air and Hermione watched as the blonde pulled Ron away from her like she had some disease and he would catch it. Wow, well, it seemed people were still thinking of her as nothing more than a Slytherin whore... With a sigh, she figured she didn't really care. It didn't surprise her at all.

"Watch your fucking tongue, Brown!" Hermione was, however, very surprised when Harry stepped in front of her, putting himself between her and the duo.

The color of Lavender's face changed drastically, shifting from one shade of red to another. Her mouth fell open to say something, but maybe the cat caught her tongue, because all she could do was blubber out nonsense, unable to make out a single word.

Ron stepped in front of his girlfriend, crossing his arms over his chest. "What the bleeding hell is wrong with you, Harry? Sticking up for _her_ now, are you?" he said giving Hermione a once over before snorting in disgust. "She's a snake lover."

"Merlin's balls, Ron," Harry said, and Hermione could tell he was holding back, watching as the vein in his neck ticked with tension. She briefly wondered just what he would do to Ron if he wasn't controlling his anger. "Grow the the bloody fuck up!"

She didn't glance back when Harry grabbed her hand and led her into the Great Hall, passing by the Gryffindor table completely and turning to the last table on the left. They walked up to the rest of the group and seething, Harry didn't notice the looks he got when he sat down. Hermione shrugged when she got an incredulous expression from Theo and then she turned towards Draco and told him, "I'll tell you later," when he glanced at her inquisitively.

_**/-/-/-/**_

"So, what the fuck was wrong with Potter today?" Draco asked dropping his books on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Classes were over and dinner was a hour or so away.

Hermione sighed and sat down on the sofa, resting her hands over her belly and inadvertently started caressing it. "We bumped into Ron and Lavender on the way to lunch. She called me a slut, Harry told her to watch her tongue... Then Ron- Well, Ron was Ron and Harry told him to grow up."

She chanced a look at Draco to gauge his reaction. There was a scowl and his nostrils were flaring. "She called you a slut?" he nearly hissed.

"It didn't bother me, I've been called worse," she shrugged. "And Harry stuck up for me, so calm down."

He sighed and sat down next to her, grabbing one of her hands and threading their finger together. "I don't like people calling you names," he relented, still scowling even at the thought, as he stared across the room. "Potter should have hexed the both of them, at the very least he should have given Weasley a fat lip."

She snorted. "Ah, yes. Violence is the way to go," she spoke sarcastically, giving him a critical eye. "Come on, Draco. Let's just leave it. It happened. There's nothing we can do. People will think how they want to think."

"Well, I don't like how people think," his stern, matter of fact tone made Hermione laugh and she leaned her head against his shoulder sleepily. "Tired?"

"You have no idea," she whispered. "My back is aching like mad and my feet are swollen, from what Pans tells me. Since, you know, I can't even see my toes," she complained with a sigh. "And I'm fat..."

"What?" she could feel Draco's eyes on her and she only looked up when his finger under her chin urged her to. She looked up into his beautiful silvery gray eyes, seeing his brow crinkled low. "You're not fat, Hermione. You're pregnant, you bloody nit-wit," she rolled her eyes, but caught him as he eyed her body. "You're beautiful," he murmured, and very slowly his eyes locked with hers.

Her whole body flushed at the sudden dark tint in his irises and she gulped when his finger left her chin to trail along her jaw and cheek. Her eyes closed, enjoying the tingles his touch brought along her skin and up her spine. It was almost like how Viktor had made her feel. Only she couldn't quite remember feeling this much for the Bulgarian. It had been nothing but a petty crush, he'd been the first boy to ever make her feel special and now Draco was doing the same thing, but this time... This time she felt she was falling in love with him.

_Oh Merlin..._

Draco's touch was suddenly gone, aside from one of his hands still holding onto hers tightly, and her eyes snapped open. He sat there, one leg crossed over the other, while his head was thrown back against the couch and he squeezed his eyes closed.

"Draco..." she started, but he shook his head. She remembered a similar moment with Viktor. They had been sharing a couple of kisses when he pulled away suddenly. Thinking she had done something wrong, she asked him. He, of course, explained the situation to her, much to utter embarrassment and horror. That night she did not forget. But now? Draco was... Well, he was turn on by how she looked _now_? She flushed a deep scarlet. They hadn't even kissed and she was as big as a beach ball!

"Sorry," Draco then said and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She was slightly afraid that he thought of her like that, but then she reminded herself; this wasn't Dolohov, this wasn't Cormac... This was Draco.

"I-It's okay," she stammered and inwardly rolled her eyes at herself.

"Do you believe me now that you're not fat?" he asked her, although, when she glimpsed his way, she saw him staring intently at something on the other side of the room.

She could only nod.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_March 3rd, 1997_

"And then what happened?"

It had taken a couple days before Pansy or Ginny could get a word out of her, but apparently they knew something was up. 'Woman's intuition' was what Ginny called it. They were all sitting out by the lake, the boys off somewhere else doing only Merlin knows what... And finally they got it out of her. It took long enough!

"Well, then he went to the bathroom for ten minutes and when he came back we studied," Hermione told them all truthfully. Looking at Luna curiously when the girl giggled dreamily. "What?"

"Nothing," she said and looked out over the lake.

Hermione looked at Pansy and Ginny to find that they too were finding interest elsewhere, while looking as if they were trying desperately not to laugh. She cringed when she finally understood. Oh, so that's what he had been doing... And in her bathroom, no less! It was just- It was just _gross_ that's what it bloody well was. She frowned and leaned back on her arms, looking down at her large stomach.

Two more months. That's all she had left and then she would be giving birth to _her. _She still hadn't found a proper name. She was wanting to use her mothers name in it somehow and while she liked Nora she liked her mothers middle name better. Charlotte rang nicely, but she didn't want her child to be nicknamed Charlie. So, the possibility of it as a first name was gone.

She still hadn't even talked to Draco about it, and maybe she'd been waiting for him to bring it up, but he never did.

"So, you and Harry seem to be getting along?" Ginny said, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, he's still not a fan of Slytherins but I think he's coming along."

"You forgave him then?" Pansy asked, seeming a little confused.

Hermione thought about it for a moment, getting uncomfortable when the other three girls watched her and waited for an answer. "I don't know. I mean, I'm still hurt by what he did and I'm afraid that he'll turn his back on me again. But on an internal level, I think I have," she said, almost surprised at her revelation.

"I wouldn't tell him," Luna said, smiling euphorically. "Keep him on his toes."

"I agree," Ginny nodded.

Hermione shrugged, looking out back to the lake. Maybe they were right, maybe telling Harry she forgave him wouldn't be the best thing. Looking back on when she forgave both him and Ron the first time, she made the decision to keep him in the dark.

"Hello, ladies," Blaise flopped down beside them, laying his head in Pansy's lap. Hermione looked around, but she didn't see Draco, Theo, or Neville around at all.

"Where are the others?" she asked.

"Neville is visiting his plants, Theo is in the library, and Draco is meetingwiththeheadmaster."

He said it so fast Hermione only caught 'headmaster'. "Dumbledore? What's he doing with Professor Dumbledore?" She was suddenly nervous. Did he get into trouble? Was something wrong?

Blaise looked sheepish. "Please don't make me break the man code..."

"Blaise," Hermione said through a sigh, closing her eyes briefly. "I am pregnant and_ extremely_ hormonal. Do you want me to yell at you? Better yet, do you want me to cry? Is the man code really _that_ important?"

She watched as Blaise's eyes grew wide and he looked towards the castle before back at her. "He got into a fight with Weasley," glancing at Ginny he amended. "The male Weasley. He said some rather crude things to Draco, and you know how Draco gets whenever you're talked about badly..."

"What did he do?" Hermione stressed, clenching her teeth.

Blaise actually smiled. "Ponce has a bloody fat lip, now," he said and once again glanced at Ginny. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Ginny scoffed and shook her head. "Ron deserves it. He's such an ass."

"Not talking about me I hope..." Hermione jerked her head sideways and leveled Draco with a glare. She took in his appearance. His robes were spick and a span, not one single wrinkle... Of course, the cut above his eyebrow nearly made her growl. But! He deserved it now, didn't he. He's the one that hit Ron first.

"What did he say?" she asked, her jaw going rigid as she looked back out to the lake, trying to school her features so he couldn't see she was angry, but failed.

She felt him sit next to her, felt him take her hand into his own, and she couldn't even make herself wrench it out of his grasp. Because, she wasn't really mad at him. She was mad at the whole situation. Ron was stupid, there! It was plain and simple, and there was nothing more to it.

"You don't want to know, love," she looked at him, her frown disappearing at the endearment. Before she could reply, however, someone was yelling out towards them.

"Hey, Zabini!" Hermione looked around Draco to see Seamus walking towards them with a couple of other Gryffindors. _Oh, wonderful._ She noticed Blaise standing up out of the corner of her eye and she nearly pulled Draco back down when he too stood. "I hear you mum's getting married, again!" he cackled, and all the others around him joined in. "What's that make, step-daddy number seven?"

Hermione frowned and looked at Blaise, of course, he would know nothing about this. Draco, Blaise, Pansy, and Theo had all been cut off from their families after Snape got to them. Being released from the Imperius, they didn't want to ever set eyes on their relations again. Hermione knew this. But, the rest of the school, aside from the Slytherins who were in with the Death Eater crowd, didn't.

"I haven't talked to my mother in quite a while, Finnegan," Blaise replied, managing to keep his tone neutral, while Blaise's situation didn't reach the spectrum of Draco or Theo's, not to mention Pansy's, he had deep emotional wounds that hadn't, yet, closed.

"Oh?" Seamus' eye danced dangerously and Hermione kept looking back and forth from one boy to the other. "Would have thought your mommy would have told you all about her Death Eater _amore._" She watched the Irish boy take out a rolled up copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and threw it down to Blaise's feet. "Have fun, it's a fantastic read," he said sarcastically and then walked off with his group of chuckling dunderheads.

Blaise didn't move, so Draco stepped forward and picked up the periodical. Quickly flipping from page to page before he finally and way to suddenly came to a jolting stop. Hermione watched as he tensed, his shoulder becoming stiff, the muscles in his neck twitching, and his fingers clutching so tightly that the paper crinkled and tore under the duress. She knew it must have been really bad, why else would she see the ripple of a shiver run through Draco's otherwise cool and composed body.

However, he turned his head toward her. And his eyes... they weren't the bright silvery gray she was used to, they were a storm of anger and sheer fury, but behind that she could see the anxiety. The disturbing horror and panic. His trepidation scared her, and she trembled with fearful anticipation.

"Draco?" Blaise asked, his voice small and nearly taciturn. "Who is it?"

He didn't look at his friend, he just stared at Hermione with masked alarm, his camouflage a wall of animosity for whoever he'd seen on the page. And it continued to fuel her consternation.

"Draco?" she asked, managing to keep the wobble out of her voice.

She noticed the other where all looking at them, mostly at Draco, rather expectantly. And she raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to answer, but almost not needing him to say a word. She knew who Blaise's mother was marrying. She knew.

"She's marrying Antonin Dolohov."

**TBC**


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: First of all I think I should say, I love you all and I hope I didn't butcher the story with this chapter. I might have gotten carried away. Second of all... Dolohov is not McGonagall's child... Although, that would have been an awesome idea, her son didn't turn out like his father they were just in the same house. Esemme Tresemme I hope you don't hate me anymore! haha! Also, about the dates, I have a bit of OCD, so I will most likely get rid of them when I finish the story, but at the moment there rather impulsive. This chapter is supposed to be more friendly then the last one, because the one after this... Well, just beware... DON'T HATE ME. I RATHER PREFER TO BE LOVED. I'M A BIT OF A HIPPIE THAT WAY.

**Chapter 21**

_March 4th, 1997_

The next day, Hermione didn't even bother to get out of bed. When she awoke she stared up at the ceiling, fighting back tears. Just when she thought her life was turning around for the better, _he_ was brought up. While Dolohov being engaged to Cordelia Zabini wasn't a personal hit to her person, the mere fact that he was marrying into one of her friends' families was enough to cause alarm. Even when Blaise cut himself off from his mother.

She had every right to be frightened by the news. She had every right to worry... But as she lay there and really thought about it, and honestly surveyed her feelings. She was scared for Blaise and not herself. She knew first hand what Dolohov was capable of, his actions spoke beyond words as his child rested in her womb.

Her silence down at the lake and also spoken pretty loudly, the day before and now, they all knew. Pansy and Ginny had started crying and Luna looked as if she might start, but the blonde had merely bit her lip and her dreamy expression had vanished. Blaise nearly collapsed at the horror of the situation and Draco helped her up and escorted her back to her rooms when she asked him, it had all been too much.

When she finally looked at what time it was getting to be, Hermione saw it was passed lunch. She knew she should probably eat- and with that thought a plate appeared, balancing on her stomach. She yelped in surprise, but caught the plate before it could plummet off the side of her belly. She glanced over the food on the plate, all of it was fruit, so she knew who had sent it. McGonagall. She smiled appreciatively and picked up a slice of watermelon, nibbling at the corner of it.

The plate disappeared when she was done and she turned over and let sleep consume her once again, sleeping until dinner. She had missed her classes, but when she got up she noticed the pile of books on her coffee table and she slipped into the plush chair and looked over her assignments. She easily took out her quill and parchment and started on them, finishing well into the next morning.

Three hours of sleep and one hot shower later and Hermione was ready to join the rest of the student body for classes. When she stepped out of the portrait hole, she found Draco against the opposite wall and she paused.

"Hey..." she said, a little uncertain. Ever since that day in her common room, they been a little uneasy around each other. A little nervous. And then the other day with the article hadn't made anything better. She still hadn't grilled him over the fight with Ron nor asked him how he came to be outside so quickly when moments before Blaise had told them he was meeting with Dumbledore. "How's Blaise?" It was the first thing that came to mind and really the most important of questions to ask. She wasn't the only one to be affected by this turn of events.

"He's disgusted," Draco replied honestly. "And distraught that Dolohov is now marrying his mother."

Hermione nodded and then she took a step towards Draco. It was a moment before she could find her voice. "Can we put whatever rift this is behind us, Draco? I feel that there's going to be worse things to come in the future without us becoming childish from a stupid incident," she then told him rather suddenly, feeling his eyes bore into hers, as well as seeing it. "I'm sorry if I did something wrong the other day-" He cut her off with a chuckle.

"You? Do something wrong?" she watched him as he shook his head and then his hands were resting on her hips while he looked at her stomach. "Hermione, I'm a guy..." she almost shied away when she found that same lustful look in his eye as the other day. "We can't help certain things from happening around attractive women. But, I should be more careful, I shouldn't let it become so obvious, not with what's happened with you in the past... I should be the one apologizing here."

"I don't think so..." Hermione whispered. "Aside from the awkwardness, you made me feel rather special."

He chuckled again and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her as close as he could without putting pressure on her stomach. She burrowed her face in the corner of his neck, as her arms wrapped about his shoulders. She could never understand why she felt so safe in his arms. They stayed that way for a couple minutes.

"You going to be okay?" he asked her, his voice soft, as his hands rubbed her back.

"I think so," she told him. "With you at my side, I should be," she spoke quietly and his arms tightened gently around her, obviously pleased with her reply.

They walked down to breakfast hand in hand, joining their friends. Hermione sat down next to Blaise and seeing the sadness in his eyes she managed to give him as firm a one-armed hug as possible, and told him that everything would be fine. While she usually didn't like to assume things, she said it anyway.

Hermione had only received a copy of the _Daily Prophet _that morning when the mail arrived. She fed the owl its payment, but otherwise ignored her post and continued to eat. Listening to Pansy talk about something that had happened in Charms the day before. Seamus Finnigan had blown something up, again. When would that boy learn? Hermione thought he deserved it for the way he had so rudely told Blaise about his mother, as if he hadn't a care for the other boys feelings whatsoever. But when did Gryffindors ever care about the feelings of Slytherins? Aside from her, Ginny, and Neville, that was.

"Can I look over this?" Ginny asked her and Hermione nodded, watching out of her peripheral vision as the ginger unrolled the paper.

Hermione looked up quickly when moments later Ginny gasped and she gazed at the redhead worriedly when the girl could only stare at the front page of the newspaper. "What is it? What's happened?" she asked, thinking Voldemort had once again done something monstrous. But when the other girls gaze suddenly fixed on her, Hermione reached over and took the periodical to see for herself.

Her jaw went slack when she was met with a picture of herself, smiling brightly back of her. A quick glance at the headline and she groaned. '_Not So Perfect After All_'. The picture was a couple years old, it had to have been taken in her Third Year, because Harry and Ron were just noticeable on either side of her with her arms thrown over their shoulders.

"Really? There's a Dark wizard out their killing people and this ghastly woman thinks my private life is what really matters?" she asked, nearly on the verge of hysterics, not noticing that her voice had raised somewhat and a couple people were looking at her. She crushed the paper in her hands crinkling it until it was nothing more than a ball.

"The question is how she found out..." Theo said, watching as the ball of paper rolled along the table when Hermione threw it down in frustration.

"People went home for the holidays," Pansy stated, logically. "Who wouldn't gossip about Hermione Granger ending up pregnant to their families..."

It only took a moment for the real chiller to seep into Hermione's mind, she turned to look at Draco with the utmost terror in her eyes. "Draco... What if..." her eyes filled with tears and she found herself pulled to his chest before she could say anything else.

"We won't let him get to you, Hermione," it wasn't Draco that spoke, but Blaise. His tone was hard with authority but soft with the delicate nature of her position.

She had to force herself to classes and to stay calm throughout her lessons. She didn't miss the looks she received from the other students, or even the looks she'd gotten from her professors. Harry had even stopped her in the halls between classes to ask if she was all right. She controlled her features enough to smile and say she was fine, but she knew he didn't believe her.

It took a lot of control not to tell him everything, and she fought with herself on many occasions. She was still worried that he would go run off and get himself hurt if he knew what else had happened. So, no. She wouldn't tell Harry, not yet, anyway.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_March 8th, 1997_

A couple days passed and Hermione was still a bit of a nervous wreck. One question, or rather a couple, always on her mind after reading Skeeter's article about her pregnancy. What if Dolohov found out? What if he came after her? What if he took the child away from her? Either killing her or leaving her to deal with the loss? She had grown attached. She already loved the child, even under the circumstances of her conception. She'd bonded with her daughter, talked to her before she went to bed and Hermione even started reading aloud when alone so her daughter could hear her voice and get a feeling as to who she was.

And when she was alone with Draco, well he talked to her too. Always telling her that he was her daddy and that he loved her... The first time it had happened, Hermione had been shocked, and rather than let awkwardness settle over their relationship, she had kissed Draco's cheeks and ran her fingers through his hair.

To try and calm her nerves she instigated a study night after dinner, inviting everyone (her friends), to her rooms. Neville couldn't make it, according to Luna he was busy with Professor Sprout watching a couple of plants grow. She shot Draco a glare before he could comment, leaving him with his mouth held open for a moment before he relented and shut it with a scowl.

Draco had been the first to arrive and when he had, Hermione greeted him by running her hand over the cut above his brow. _"Why don't you let me heal this?"_ she had asked him and he had simply shrugged and boasted about how it made him look hardy. She didn't understand why he was so persistent on keeping every wound. First it had been Theo's punch long ago, to which she still didn't know why the tawny hair boy did so in the first place. And then she'd watched as Neville's hit slowly healed, leaving a light scar on his cheekbone. And now here, he'd have another one nearly severing the curve of his eyebrow.

Once everyone else had showed up, the room had filled with the sound of scratching quills. Every now and then someone would look up and ask a question, that someone else would answer. It differentiated each time.

And while it seemed everyone was hell bent on studying, each one of them was thinking about Dolohov. Either in the since of what he had done to Hermione or how he was now going to be marrying Blaise's mother.

"I've got it!" Pansy then spoke, pushing her potions text off her lap an onto the piece of floor in front of her. "Elizabeth."

Hermione frowned. "Elizabeth?" she asked, unsure of what Pansy was saying.

"Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice," Pansy said, with a soft smile. "It's your favorite book. You could name her Elizabeth. It's only a suggestion, but it's a sturdy name."

"Or you could also go for a more unique name and call her Darcy," Luna joined in dreamily.

Hermione was in a bit of a state of shock. Just moments ago she was silently worrying while trying to decipher a bunch of ancient runes at the same time, and now her friends were coming up with names for her daughter? She glanced down at Draco who was sitting at her feet, since Theo had sat next to her on the sofa, brushing his finger against her shin in a soothing motion.

"I like Caroline to be honest," he spoke, as if the subject was a bit of a bore. But she saw the spark in his eye, that immediate flicker of relief at a hopeful diversion from his thoughts. She smiled and her hand found his hair, silky to the touch.

"Caroline was a jealous and conceited harpy. Lydia is a pretty name too, but I didn't like her in the story. You two don't want your daughter running off and eloping now, do you?" Ginny added her two sense with a jesting laugh. "My favorite was Jane."

It seemed Theo and Blaise didn't have a clue what they were talking about so they just stared at them all. Until Theo decided he wanted to be apart of it all. "You could name her Theodora! Theodora Malfoy has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Hermione laughed, turning her head to her friend. "Theo, as much as I love you. I'm not naming my daughter, Theodora. Now, if I ever have a son in the future... Theodore will be at the top of my list."

"Really?" Draco sneered, obviously not thinking too highly of the name. "And if I refuse?"

Feeling absolutely _stupefied_, Hermione's mouth hung open for a good minute or so, their friends now silent as the grave as they stared at one another. Hermione looking down at him entirely overwhelmed. Did he really think- "And what makes you so sure my future son will be yours?" she asked, surprised that her voice sounded as strong as it did.

She watched his lips quirk in amusement, but it couldn't be called a smile. "Don't make me laugh, Hermione. It might not be before she-" he glanced at her belly, "is born, but I'll have a ring on your finger by the time we graduate."

Had her world gone completely tipsy turvy, or had he just proposed? She heard someone gasp, but she paid them no mind, as her look of astonishment slowly curved into a frown. Now, she didn't like this at all. They hadn't established anything between them. No declarations, nothing in all this time and he decides to say something along the lines of marriage, in front of their friends no less! Did a couple of kisses really warrant that or was it all pity? And why did it feel like every nerve was tingling?

"I think we should talk about that later, privately," she said and looked to the textbook in her lap. "I happen to like the names Mary and Georgiana," Hermione declared suddenly and on that note, the conversation was brought back to the baby.

_**/-/-/-/**_

When everyone left Draco stayed behind to help Hermione clean things up. Empty boxes of Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans littered the floor where Blaise and Pansy had been sitting and the cushions on the chairs and couch were all askew. When everything was right again, he turned to find Hermione watching him with her arms crossed and settled over her stomach. He knew that look, that disproving frown.

"What is it?"

"Do you love me?" the question almost made him recoil, but he stood his ground, although couldn't quite hide the shock on his face.

"Excuse me?" Good, he managed to keep his voice in check.

"Do you love me?" she repeated, this time seeming uncomfortable, shifting on her feet. "Because, I don't appreciate you practically asking my to marry you like that. When we- When we have only kissed. So, you either love me, or you said that because in reality you pity me and are just trying to make light of the situation you got yourself in. Which is understandable, the child's not yours, and-"

"Hermione, shut up," he caught himself from yelling at her, but he couldn't quite help the small rise in his voice. He stepped towards her. "Do you really think I pity you? Really? After everything?" he shook his head, his hands on his hips. There was a long silence, where he could practically hear the minutes ticking by, or maybe that was his heart thundering in his chest. "I don't know if I love you," he then said so quietly, looking at her like he was lost. "I'm not good displaying my emotions. I know I feel something though, and it's not the fact my pants get tight every time I see you," he watched her cheeks color at his crudeness. "And you can't say she's not mine. She is. She doesn't have my blood running though her veins, but if what I feel is how a father feels when they love their child, then I would like to think that's enough for me to earn that title. She'll carry my name and call me 'dad'. And sometimes I think when she's older how I'll teach her to ride a broom-"

"She's not even born yet, Draco..."

"That's besides the point, Hermione!" He said frustratingly. "I love her and I know that what I feel for you is somewhere near that category if it isn't already there, yet! So, yeah, someday I see you as Mrs. Malfoy, and someday I would like to have a son with you and a future. It that so hard to believe?" He watched her as her eyes grew glassy with fresh tears, but he didn't rush forth and try and apologize. "Maybe I started seeing all of that after I agreed to be her father, but-" he was cut off when she dashed forward and planted her lips on his, feeling her tears drop on his cheeks and slide down his chin.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione listened to him, taking in everything he said. After what Dolohov had done, she had thought she had been unclean, dirty, he had really made a mudblood out of her that night when he sullied her for his own sadistic needs. She had thought her chances of finding love and a future with any guy had stopped then and there, because how could she handle being touched again? How could she live with kissing or making love to someone when that face popped into her mind every time?

While at first, Hermione saw Dolohov when Draco kissed her. Now she knew it was the blonde haired boy and not that scraggly haired man. Draco lips were smooth, his touch was soft, and he made her body feel alive like no other, completely opposite from her attacker. And now here he was declaring love to her child and that he very well might be in love with her, as well. She couldn't stop herself. She flung herself at him, shutting him up with her lips. The fact he saw her in his future, that he actually really meant he wasn't going to leave her and he was going to treat her daughter every bit as his own, just made her love him more.

Yes, she did love him. It wasn't as much of a revelation as she had thought it would be. Maybe she had loved him for a while. She couldn't pinpoint when she had fallen for him. She couldn't name the time, the day, the month... But she knew now. She knew that pull on her belly, that flutter in her heart, that essence of calm and serenity whenever he was near her, it was love. It had to be, what else could it be, if not?

And well, she must have loved him for quite some time, then.

**TBC**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** So, this chapter doesn't really have anything bad happening, it's just the starting of something to come... And I have no idea how my writing is since I wrote this within twenty-four hours... But I hope it's suitable, it's a bit of a shorty. I still love you all, you are the best! OH MY GOD! I CAN'T FORGET. My cousin bumped into Tom Felton yesterday! I freaked, of course!

**Chapter 22**

_March 10th, 1997_

It was a rather often occurrence to find Hermione sat at a desk writing furiously with her quill, but this time it had nothing to do with her work. No, this little piece was going to the Ministry. Once again, Rita Skeeter managed to slip an article about her into the _Daily Prophet,_ and once again it was front page material. While she had been told not to get her knickers in a twist, Hermione was absolutely enraged. She couldn't believe the gall that woman had. That she could so publicly humiliate Hermione in such a way, as to say '_Hermione Granger is unfit to be at Hogwarts_' and that '_she is setting a bad example for the younger children_'. As if the harpy cared!

At first, she had nearly cried. Her hormones were so bent out of shape it was a wonder she hadn't burst into tears in the Great Hall. She couldn't help being pregnant, she wondered just what the woman would say if she had the whole story? What then? Would she be unfit to attend Hogwarts when that nosy Skeeter and the rest of the Wizarding world knew of her rape? Or would she be pitied and have people empathize for her?

But, this letter wasn't telling the Ministry what she'd been through that summer. No. Hermione was spilling the beans, so to speak, on just how Skeeter was getting all her information. Everyone wanted to know how the journalist got her material, well, now they would. And Hermione didn't feel one ounce of guilt for what she was about to do.

The woman deserved it. She did.

"What are you doing?"

Hermione jumped a foot off her chair, head snapping to glare halfheartedly at her boyfriend. She had thought it would have been odd to use such a label on Draco Malfoy, but it rolled off her tongue nicely and made her stomach flutter. Then again, that could have just been the baby rolling around...

"What in Merlin's name-" she raised a hand to her heart. "Do you have no consideration for pregnant women, Draco? You nearly gave me a heart attack you buffoon!"

"So, I'm a buffoon today?" he asked. "Well, that's nicer than dick and asshole," he muttered with a shrug of his shoulders, leaning against the windowsill and crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at her.

She sighed and returned to her letter. Adding another paragraph before she folded the parchment up and slipped it into a envelope. She sealed it will some wax and then set it aside. "I'll owl it later," she spoke aloud, but it was more to herself. Turning in the chair she held her hands out to Draco, watching as he pushed off the windows frame and came to help her up. She slipped her hands into his and he easily pulled her to her feet.

"So who's it to?" he asked, leading her over to the couch and aiding her against the plush cushions.

"The Ministry," she said, holding her head high with her chin firmly sticking out. "It's about time I shut Rita Skeeter up, once and for all. If all she can write about is my personal life, rather than what's really important, then she needs to be dealt with."

"You know, you're kind of scaring me, Hermione. You're acting a bit Slytherin," Draco said, and she didn't miss the amused lift in his tone that said he was only joking with her. She looked at him to find that evil smirk on his face and he picked her hand up and brought it to his lips, giving her palm a kiss. "How's the little one, today?" he then asked, effortlessly changing the subject and running his otherwise empty hand over her lower abdomen.

"She's fine," Hermione explained, smiling a little now. "She still needs a name, though. We can't keep calling her 'little one' or 'Bean', as Theo likes to say. Which I can't understand, since she is much large than a bean now. I mean, there's not much longer until she's born..."

Draco made a thoughtful sound, still running his fingers along her stomach, gently inching under her shirt to touch her flesh. A sigh left her lips.

"I don't much like Mary and Georgiana, I have to admit," Draco told her, his nose wrinkling at his obvious distaste for the names. "Mary is overly used and Georgiana reminds me of George Weasley."

"What names do you like? Other than Caroline?" Hermione asked him, tilting her head to look at him, waiting for his face to turn pensive, but still he just seemed aloof. Even though she was sure he was thinking hard on it.

"Stella, Ellery and Aurora," he then stated matter of factly, with a nod of his head to confirm it. "They're easy, likable, and can in no way be made fun of."

Hermione allowed the names to sink in, finding that they were, in fact, good names. They weren't traditional like she was planning, but since she was hell bent on having her daughters middle name Charlotte, she thought it would be nice for Draco to decide what the first name should be. "And which one of those is your favorite?" she asked him quietly, placing her hand over his and stilling his movement.

He paused. "Ellery."

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Ellery Charlotte Malfoy."

She'd never seen him smile so big in all her life. It wasn't a smirk, but a smile that could light up even the darkest and dankest of rooms. Then, she was in his lap, her stomach large between them, his hands holding her as close as possible, and his mouth devouring hers, oh so tenderly.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_March 17th, 1997_

A week had passed since her and Draco finally picked out a name. No more 'little one'. No more 'Bean.' When Theo had asking about the bean, she'd proudly told him that her daughters name was Ellery. To which Blaise so eloquently put Draco's words to shame. Of course, Blaise would be the one to find a way to make fun of the name.

"_Doesn't that rhyme with celery? Ellery Celery."_

Draco had nearly jumped over the table and strangled him. Thankfully Harry had sat with them that morning and had pulled Blaise out of the way before hand.

Hermione had noticed Harry was starting to have bags under his eyes. And she remembered him saying Dumbledore was keeping him busy, but with what exactly? Surely the headmaster could see that whatever it was, it wasn't doing Harry any good...

But today, Harry was back over at the Gryffindor table and apparently he had made nice with Ronald, if their current conversation was anything to go by. Harry was smiling, but looked exhausted.

Hermione looked up at the flapping of wings and the screech of the owls with the post. She had also demanded that the _Daily Prophet _stop sending her a copy in that letter she sent a couple days prior, so she wasn't expecting anything and was more than surprised when a strange Lesser Sooty-Owl landed before her with a small envelope held in it's beak, and its large black eyes staring at her. The look was haunting and sent shivers down her spine, as if it could see right through her. Slowly she reached for the letter and the bird left without taking any payment.

"Who's that from?" Draco asked from her left and she glanced at him briefly with a shrug of her shoulders.

Turning the letter in her hand, she found no return address and no marking to place the seal. It was ordinary, the wax probably pressed with the end of a letter opener. She contemplated it for a moment longer, plopping a grape into her mouth and chewing it before she popped the seal open and slid the feather light parchment out.

She nearly feinted when she flipped it open and read what it said:

_'My Dearest Mudblood,_

_I've heard the good news. Tell me, is it a boy or girl?_

_Yours Truly'_

It wasn't signed, but Hermione didn't need a name to know who sent this to her. She was shaking when someone placed their hand on her shoulder, making her yelp and look to find it was only Professor Snape.

"Professor..." she said, almost pleadingly. Her voice was hoarse and her throat was thick with tears. She knew he would find out, that damned Rita Skeeter! But, he had actually sent her a letter. A letter! He was taunting her, laughing at her...

"Stand up, Ms. Granger," Snape said softly, but remained to look as snarky as ever, his voice low enough for only the group she sat with. "You too, Mr. Malfoy," he said and Hermione finally looked at him.

Draco was as stiff as a board as he got to his feet and then helped her to hers. She didn't look back to her friends, as she followed Snape, still holding onto Draco hand with the letter tightly grasped in the other. She didn't have any doubt about where they were going.

While it took a while for her to get up the stairs, they made it to Dumbledore's office quicker than she had thought it would take. But, the thought hadn't lasted long when her mind continuously went back to the letter. _He knew... And he would come after her... _There was no conviction, no questioning, merely fact. Dolohov would try to get to her and there was no stopping him.

She slipped into one of the plush chairs, oblivious to the Order members around her, and that Professor Snape was currently trying to pry the letter from her fingers. "Ms. Granger, if you would let go..."

She didn't listen, it took many tries and even Remus stepped forward, but her fingers wouldn't budge. She looked straight forward, straight into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore, who for the first time since she knew him, looked utterly helpless.

"She's in shock..."

"She has to be."

"Dear Merlin, the poor thing looks peaked..."

"Hermione?" finally a voice broke through her wards and instead of the worried blue eyes of the headmaster, she was looking into pools of concerned silvery gray. "Hermione can I see the letter?" she felt a tug and slowly she let go.

She was still staring into his eyes when he handed the letter to Snape. Moments ticked by and she listened to the rustle of it being passed from person to person. It took a lot for her to just stare into Draco's eyes and not to break down, but then she heard someone gasp and whatever resolve she had broke. Like a mirror that had been glued back together badly, the pieces fell one by one until she was bent over and crying. "Why? Why is this happening to me?" the question was to no one in particular and she didn't expect an answer.

No one did.

Arms surrounded her, Draco's arms. He held her like he always did, letting her cry all over him until she was finished, whispering things into her ear. Not promising anything, but encouraging her nonetheless to get herself together.

When she finally composed herself, Draco sat next to her in the other chair, but took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She wiped away the tear tracks with her free hand, swallowing and trying hard to control her sniffling.

"There are some things you two should be aware of," it was Professor Snape that spoke. "The Dark Lord-" someone from the Order had actually snorted and Snape paused glaring across the room, before he carried on. "The Dark Lord has taken Gregory Goyle under his wing to fulfill the job that Mr. Malfoy was unable to, since being released from the Imperius," Hermione felt Draco's hand go slack for a moment before he squeezed her fingers a little too tightly. She didn't complain. "Mr. Goyle has succeed in finding a way to bring Death Eater's into Hogwarts."

Hermione gasped, sitting up further. "What?" she asked, unable to hide the quiver in her voice.

Snape looked at her sadly. A very rare expression on the Potion Masters face. "That's not the extent of it, Ms. Granger. I haven't even gotten to the worst part..." he paused and looked at Dumbledore, whom Hermione noticed nod out of her peripheral vision. "My work as a spy was tarnished when I brought you here, Ms. Granger. So finding this out was only by chance, a slip on Mr. Goyle's part... The assemblage was only to be seven... The Carrows, Bellatrix Lestrange, Greyback, Gibbon, Rowle, and Yaxley. But now-"

"Dolohov joined," stated Hermione, having to clear her voice afterward. She felt Draco's hand squeeze hers, once again. She reveled in his touch, keeping herself calm by the smooth feeling of his fingers.

"Yes," Snape said.

"What are we going to do, Albus?" McGonagall asked, looking to the headmaster and Hermione's gaze followed, along with everyone else's.

It was a while before the older wizard spoke and it was with a somber tone that he said, "All we can do is strengthen the wards, up security with Order members, no Auror's in my school, we can't know if they are truly on our side anymore. Mr. Malfoy, you are to stay with Ms. Granger at all times, do you hear me?"

She looked over at Draco and found him nodding, his face as ever, an emotionless mask, hiding his worry and anger.

"Now we wait."

**TBC**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:** Another bit of a shorty! And I'm terribly sorry! I had given you all high hopes for a while there, coming out with chapters like they were going out of style and then leaving you to wait, oh so long! I have been trying really hard to get this chapter out... Sadly my mind has been on the end of this story. I can't stop thinking about when I can write the final chapter, not because I want the story to end, but because I really want to write what I have planned for it! And sometime I will get to adding a 4th chapter to 'Stay'... But it might be a while. THANK YOU ALL, for your reviews. Rereading them is what has pushed my to get this out and while it may have a few errors and might seem a little rushed, I'm okay with it. On with the story and I hope you enjoy.

**Chapter 23**

_April 7th, 1997_

Weeks had gone by and nothing. Not a thing happened. Nothing exciting anyway. No more letters arrived, and no attacks pursued. Hogwarts had been Death Eater free besides the fair few Slytherin students Draco was aware of who were too stupid to know that the power they were promised was nothing but a rouse to get them to join. The Dark Lord was very manipulative that way, Draco had to admit. While he despised everything Voldemort stood for, he couldn't say that Voldemort wasn't a powerful wizard, he was, but for all the wrong reasons.

He had earned his power through fear.

And while fear was a powerful influence, it didn't promise loyalty. _Great,_ now he was sounding like a goddamn Hufflepuff. _Just what I fucking need..._

He looked up when Blaise nudged him in the side. Pansy and Hermione were walking towards the table, Pansy chatting animatedly away about some book she started reading, while Hermione was silent. Yeah, nothing life threatening had happened, but Hermione had more or less gone back to the hermit she had been at the beginning of last summer.

When she took her seat beside him, he wrapped one arm about her shoulders, pressing his lips to her temple gently. But she pushed him away with a smile that was probably supposed to be an apology, but there wasn't any effort on her part and was quite pointless. He had tried everything to get her to smile, _really _smile. And he practically had to force her to eat, he all but picked up the fork and hand-fed her himself.

No, he stared at her and pushed her plate closer, giving her a frown until she conceded and finally picked up her spoon and took little bites of her porridge. When they were alone, he tried telling her the stress wasn't good for the baby, and that not eating wasn't good for Ellery either. But it only ended in an argument.

At one point he had even gone to Dumbledore. Asking the older man if there was anyway that they could get Hermione out of the school. Sure, he didn't fancy seeing Greyback (if the werewolf did tag along) but his main focus was Hermione. The thought of Dolohov coming for her was becoming a life threatening situation for both her and the baby.

Dumbledore was no help, and Draco made sure to get all his points across. Dolohov was after Hermione. No doubt Greyback wouldn't mind getting his claws back on him and then... Well, Bellatrix Lestrange would probably '_love_' to see Theo again. The thought of his friends and his girlfriend in danger made the know already in his stomach grow. He didn't like it. But of course, Dumbledore gave him a good reason as to why they couldn't move them anywhere.

Hogwarts was one of the safest places, and even while there was a tear in it's protection, it would remain the safest place to be. Because, quite frankly, what if the school was being watched? People couldn't apparate in or out of the Hogwarts, so they would have to leave the grounds, leave the protection of the school. What if they were caught before they could ever make it to the apparition point? There were too many 'what ifs', too many dangers.

So Draco was left to watch his girlfriend fall back into the pitiable person she was before the start of term. She had worked so hard to get over things, but now touching was once again a taboo. She nearly started hyperventilating every time someone other than Draco touched her. And even Draco couldn't touch her for long. Kissing on the mouth was a huge no-no. Hugging only lasted for ten seconds before she would ease out of his arms and slink back. And now she flinched every time he tried to hold her hand. The one thing he could always count on, from the beginning of their bizarre relationship.

But he was patient... _Merlin_, was he patient. He didn't want to spook her. He didn't want to unintentionally harm her, so he took it all in stride. Every time she cringed, every time she pulled away... He bucked up and bared it all. Held his head high as if nothing was wrong and kept up his cool facade in front of his fellow students.

But he was suffering deep down.

"What's wrong with, Hermione?" Draco very nearly cursed the Boy-Who-Lived, when he was pulled into a broom cupboard. But then Potter didn't have his wand out, so he slowly put his away.

"Why don't you ask her," Draco sneered. Hermione seemed to be getting along good with boy wonder, however, Draco would never forgive Potter for what he and Weasley did to his girl.

"And talking with her is so easy, now," Harry shot back. "I just want to know what's wrong..." his tone took on a softer approach now. "Ever since she got that letter she's been depressed."

Draco's eyebrows nearly disappeared in his hairline. Potter saw, so that meant the whole school saw. "If Dumbledore and the Order haven't filled you in, I'm not going to tell. It's not my place anyway, Potter."

"The Order? You know about the Order?"

Draco closed his eyes, teeth gritting together to hard you could practically hear it. He took a a deep breath through his nose. "Yes, I do," he finally said. "Now, I can't tell you wants wrong with Hermione. If you really want to know, ask her." He said and left the broom cupboard, slamming the door behind him.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_April 15th, 1997_

Hermione knew she was worrying her friends, even as they all went about as if nothing had changed. She could see the hurt in Draco's eyes every time she pushed him away, every time she flinched at his innocent touches. It was hard, so hard... She wanted him to wrap her in his arms and keep her safe.

But even thinking about allowing anyone to touch brought memories of that night. That night she was trying so hard to forget, and nearly had for a moment there.

She hated Antonin Dolohov. She wanted him dead. Gone. Wiped off the earth, like the scum he was. But beforehand he deserved pain. Lots of it.

While she feared the day when he would come to the school, and she knew he would come. She awaited it, thrived for it, because that day she was going to kill him. She had made the choice, and it wasn't a hard one. It had been simple and easy. And it scared her, that she could think of taking a life without feeling guilty. Without feeling one single ounce of remorse. Then again, this was the man who broke her, and then laughed in her face. This was the man who shredded her innocence and chuckled while doing so. No, she wouldn't feel guilty, and remorse be damned. He deserved every bit of the hell she would put him through.

She looked across from her where Pansy was sitting, watching as the black haired girl pushed the food around her plate with a look of revulsion. Blaise beside her inquiring what was wrong. Hermione's eyes slowly widened, but she didn't say anything when Pansy met her gaze and looked alarmed. She slowly smiled at her friend instead of saying anything at all, reassuring her she wouldn't utter a word. And at the same time shocking her friends at the pleasantry she hadn't shown in weeks.

_**/-/-/-/**_

Hermione had her Potions text in her hands as she walked down the corridor, while she had been dismissed from classes once she hit her third trimester, Hermione still did the homework. With the book practically resting on her belly while she flipped through it idly, she rounded a corner only to stop suddenly. Was that someone retching? She took a couple steps closer only to see a dark haired witch bent over and heaving.

"Pansy?" she asked and wobbled over to her friend. While she hadn't been exactly conversational lately, she couldn't hide her worry. She placed a hand on the girls back, dropping her book to the ground as she gathered Pansy's hair with the other. "Oh, Pansy..."

She saw the tears streaming down the black haired girls face and only when it seemed that the worst was over did she step back to give her some room.

Pansy wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve and sniffled. "I didn't mean for it to happen, Hermione," she said through a sob and Hermione stepped forward to wrap the other girl in her arms, letting her cry on her shoulder.

"It's okay," she said, running her fingers through Pansy's hair, soothingly. "It's all right. Sometimes you can't help these things. I'm here for you, everyone else will be too, I'm sure of it."

Bit it didn't seem to ebb the other witch's worries, as Pansy only continued to cry.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_April 17th, 1997_

Hermione sat in Defense Against the Dark Arts, listening to Snape's lecture on the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse. At the beginning of class she had searched out for Neville and found his coloring to be almost as pale as Snape's and Draco's. But as the minutes ticked by, she noticed that he grew more serious, not allowing the subject to scare him. And she felt proud of him and knew his parents would be too. The boy had truly grown and was going to be a fine man, and hopefully someday he'd make an honest woman out of Luna, if he was to continue watering her fern.

Before she could reprimand herself though, she caught Pansy's look from across the room and she smiled at the other girl. Pansy was in complete denial. She couldn't accept her condition and in so had completely ignored Hermione that past couple days.

Hermione didn't blame her.

Draco sat beside her and she smiled at him briefly at the beginning of the lesson. Then, in the middle of it and at a very crucial moment in Snape's lecture, she reached over and took Draco's hand into her own. Nearly sighing when she felt his cool fingers wrap around hers after a hesitant pause. She looked at him and it took all of her strength not to lean over and press her lips against his. She didn't know if it was hormones or her infinite desire to feel his soft lips against hers, but she wanted to snog the daylight out of him.

She knew she had been distant, and her sudden need to be held in his arms was a bit overwhelming and even a tad bit frightening. She was completely in tune to him for a second, feeling a jolt shoot up her spine when his thumb slowly caressed her palm and his perfectly manicured eyebrow raised in question.

Of course, the moment hadn't lasted.

A soft knock came from the door. Everyone was either looking at the door curiously or at Snape's glare. Hermione felt sorry for whoever was interrupting the class.

"Come in," Snape sneered, and they all watched as the door slowly opened and a scared second year Hufflepuff shuffled into the room. The poor thing was practically shaking. "Well?" Snape snarled. "What is your reason for disrupting my class?"

"L-Letter for Hermione G-Granger, s-s-sir," the Hufflepuff held out the tattered envelope, her hand shaking, nervously.

Hermione tensed when she saw the envelope and she felt Draco's hand squeeze her own lightly.

"Well give it to her, you imbecile," Snape said, but the sneer wasn't as fierce as before.

The Hufflepuff ambled over to Hermione, nearly tripping over her own feet as she handed the envelope to her and then ran out of the classroom as if hell hounds were on her heels.

Hermione looked at the envelope trembling in her grasp. The plane seal and the texture of the paper was enough to tell her who it was from. It had been weeks since she had received the first letter. And now, here was another...

Slowly, very slowly, Hermione left go of Draco's hand to pop open the seal. Once again she slid the piece of rough parchment out and stared down at the letters looking up at her.

_'See you soon, lover.'_

Hermione stared at the words, tears filling her eyes as she bit her lip. This time she looked at Draco, finding him bristling in his seat with anger as he stared at the short letter in her grasp. She looked up when a shadow fell over their desk and she saw Snape's face blanch when he read the note over her shoulder.

"Mr. Malfoy," he said, clearing his throat when it seemed to catch, uncharacteristically, for a moment there. "Would you please escort Miss Granger to her rooms?" he asked and gently took the parchment out of Hermione's hand. And this time, she let go of it willingly, letting him have it.

Draco stood and gathered both of their things, Hermione watching him while the rest of the class watched them expectantly, before he helped her out of her seat and led her out of the classroom.

In silence, they walked down the corridors and up stairs. Getting the occasional 'hello' from portraits as they passed by the ones who were rather jolly during the day, but neither Draco nor Hermione returned the greeting.

When they stepped into Hermione's rooms, Hermione immediately wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. She heard their book bags fall to the ground with a hard 'thud' before his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her as close as her protruding stomach would allow. They stood that way for the longest time. Embracing before the portrait hole, deathly silent, and holding one another.

Hermione felt so stupid. All this time she had denied herself Draco's touch, his warmth, because she feared Dolohov. All this time she could have been in his safe embrace, but she was afraid that it would remind her of that night last summer. Being in his arms now, she only thought of how he had promised to care for her, look after her. Her and Ellery. He had made one of the most difficult and dangerous decision in his life, by saying the child in her belly was his... And she had more or less pushed him away the moment Dolohov etched himself back into her life.

Dolohov was trying to scare her. He thought she would cower and hide, and she had for a while there. But not anymore. He would not ruin her. He could not break her anymore then he already had. She had already made the decision to kill him, and now being surrounded by Draco's warmth, she was making the decision that Dolohov would no longer control her feelings.

They _would_ be seeing each other soon and when that day came, he would be on the receiving end of her wand.

Pulling back from Draco she looked into those beautiful silver eyes of his, finding them to enthrall her like they had from the very beginning. Raising one of her hands she trace his bottom lip with her fingertip. "I don't want him to control my life any longer," she spoke quietly. "No more," she said defiantly, her gaze flicking between his eyes and his lips. "I need you to make me forget him, Draco. _Please_, make me for him."

**TBC**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** I'm horrible. I am a horrible, horrible person. Not only is this a bit rushed, but I left you all hanging! Of course, that's what happens when relatives come to town... But anywho! I do hope you all like this chapter. And I'm also a little sick right now, so this chapter is probably shit. But thank you all for your reviews on the last one. You are all awesome and way to good to me.

**Chapter 24**

_April 25th, 1997_

"Draco? Do you hear me? Make me forget, _please_."

He stared down into her wondrous brown eyes, watching her as she begged him and traced his face with the tips of her fingers. Enticing him, awakening his lower regions at just what she was implying. He didn't want to refuse her. Merlin, there had been so many times he had wanted her. So many times he wished to ravage her body and hear his name on her lips while he worshiped her.

But while his mind was screaming '_yes, go for it_', his heart was telling him to say_ 'no'_ and he shook his head. "Hermione- I can't."

He watched as she stepped back from him, the hurt that washed over her face was like a knife through his heart. She clearly thought this was a rejection, and well, it sort of was.

"You don't want me," she whispered.

Immediately, Draco shook his head. "No, Hermione. It's not that I don't-" he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated and unsure how to go about this without sounding like a complete asshole. Which he usually was, he knew. "Hermione, I can't-"

"Is it because I'm pregnant?" she asked, and he watched while her eyes filled with tears and her hands ghosted over her belly. Any day now she would be giving birth to Ellery, any day... "Because I look like a-a freak?"

"What?" She flinched and Draco had to take a deep breath. Calming himself, before he could yell at her. "Fucking Merlin, Hermione... You're _beautiful._ How many time do I have to explain that to you? How many times do I have to tell you how much you effect me? Every time I look at you..."

"Then what's the problem?" she asked, wiping away stray tears.

Draco sighed and stepped up to her, resting his hands on her hips and looking down at her stomach between them. A smile slowly etched onto his mouth. "Ellery's going to be here any day now..." he said softly and glanced up to Hermione's face. "I don't want to do something wrong..." he continued, stopping her when she opened her mouth to speak. "And I don't think fucking you right now would make anything better. Not in the way that you think... I'll make you forget, but not today," he raised one hand to cup the side of her face. "Not when you're so emotional that you'll regret it afterward. Okay?"

She nodded slowly and leaned into his hand, making him smile. Brushing his thumb over her cheek and wiping away her tears, he leaned forward and pressed a slow kiss to her mouth. She sniffled, but soon he felt the pressure of her lips against his and they kissed slowly.

Sure Draco was scared that having sex would harm the baby, even when the books he read said that it actually helped, he still worried. But his biggest worry was causing more harm to her mentality by acceding to her request. He didn't want to damage her more than Dolohov already had.

Once Ellery was born, and once Hermione was completely sure she was ready to put herself into such an intimate position again... Only then would Draco jump on the chance and he would be sure to make her forget everything but his name.

When they pulled apart, he relished in the touch of her hand stroking the side of his face. Brown clashing with silver as he dazed into her eyes, now free of tears. She smiled up at him and he nearly jumped in relief, but of course he'd then have to kill himself for doing so. He hadn't seen such a smile grace her lips in weeks.

"Will you at least sleep with me in my bed?" she asked him gently. "I want you to hold me."

"What about McGonagall?" While he was more than willing to hold her all night long and throughout the morning, he really didn't want to face the wrath of Gryffindors head of house.

She smirked up at him. "Dumbledore said you had to stay with me at all times, didn't he?" Her gaze flickered and he watched the different emotions pass over her face. "And I think, considering, she would be all right with it..."

Considering the letter, she meant.

Draco nodded and took her hand in his while he led her to her bedroom. A room he hadn't ever been in before. When he opened the door, he wasn't surprised by the red and cream linens on the full bed. Or the plush maroon chair in the corner. He snickered inwardly at all the books scattered around the room, but other than that he found it rather plain.

He let her hand go only to pull back the covers and then he took his wand out and set it on the bedside table. Flicking the lamp on, as well, to give the room more light.

"I'm going to get my pajamas on," Hermione said and he followed her with his eyes as she gathered her night clothes from the trunk and then disappeared into the bathroom.

Draco looked around him and then down at himself, he pulled his school robes off and threw it over on the chair, his sweater vest following. He didn't really think about the situation until his shoes and socks were off and his hands were at the button of his pants. Well... He paused. _Well, shit. _Was he allowed the comfort of sleeping in his underwear? He could sleep with his shirt on, but he didn't think he could stand the starchy feel of his pants all night.

With a sigh, he unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt, leaving his pants on and crawling into the comfort of the warm sheets. For the first time he felt awkward and at a loss of what to do. He was in a bed, _Hermione's bed_, and all he could accomplish was twiddling his thumbs while he leaned back against the headboard and waited.

_Fucking Nancy, that's what you are._

His head snapped up from his hands when he heard the bathroom door open. His eyes lighting up when he saw her shifting nervously in the door way. They weren't going to do anything, but it seemed she was just as anxious.

The sight of her in a nightgown nearly floored him. Of course, he was already in the bed. He swallowed thickly as she crossed to the bed and he watched as the fabric hugged her form, her belly protruding gloriously, her breast enlarged for the preparation of nursing in the future... The light blue cotton cloth hid everything, but he still couldn't help thinking how extremely beautiful she was.

She slipped into the bed beside him, he could feel the mattress dip lightly and he almost wondered if she had been eating enough, but his thoughts left him when she looked up at him with her big brown eyes. He slowly slipped further down the bed, resting his head on the palm of his hand as he looked down at her with a small smirk.

"I didn't take your spot, did I?" he asked her, waggling his eyebrows and his heart soared when he heard her laugh.

"No," she shook her head, her brown curls spreading out on the pillow beneath her.

Draco nodded and then leaned down to press a feather light kiss to her lips. He didn't expect her to deepen it or to feel her fingers grip the back of his head. But he enjoyed the kiss, only pulling back when they were both truly breathless, leaning his forehead against hers gently as he allowed air back into his lungs.

He shifted when she turned onto her side, and he moved closer until his chest was flush with her back, resting an arm over her waist and gently stroking her belly through her nightgown. He curled his other arm under his head and sighed contently while he closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Draco."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_April 28th, 1997_

She had a week. One week, until Ellery would be in the world. One week until her life would change forever. Not that it already hadn't. But she was going to be a parent, a mother. Her daughter would be relying on her, _and_ Draco too, of course. But she would be the one who nursed her and probably changed her, because she doubted Draco would ever change a dirty nappy. The thought alone made her crack up.

It was a bit weird. The first letter she had gotten from Dolohov had put her in such a bad funk. But that second one... Draco had talked her out of making a huge mistake, true. But, that second letter had done the absolute opposite of the first.

She was back.

Hermione Granger was back and talking to people and letting them touch her without cowering away. She was back to holding Draco's hand and greeting him with a kiss at lunch, because she was usually with him before breakfast and dinner.

Professor McGonagall had been furious when she found they had slept in the same bed. Apparently it was true- the portraits did tattle. Her and Draco had sat and listened in Dumbledore's office as the cat animagus got her point across at how inappropriate it was of them. It was a shock when Dumbledore interrupted her and made it clear that Hermione was already pregnant and that not much worse could happen. He actually pointed at her stomach and said '_she'll pop any day now, Minerva_' with a twinkle in his eye and a knowing smile on his lips.

Aside from all the embarrassment from the meeting, it seemed Dumbledore accepted their sleeping arrangements and even asked if Draco would be moving his things in and if so, he thought Mr. Filch would be more than happy to help. Hermione, on the other hand, thought the caretaker would be less than happy about it. And instead, Blaise and Theo were put to the task.

While Hermione had been urged to stay in bed by Madam Pomfrey, Hermione didn't accept the medi-witch's advice. She walked the halls and went to classes, got herself lost in her studying while sitting in the library...

After all the classes that Monday had been over with Theo and Blaise were finally helping Draco move in, and so Hermione went about the castle looking for Pansy. She had sat across from the other girl at dinner, but now she couldn't find her anywhere. She got tired after a while and stopped in the middle of a staircase, when she heard the soft sounds of crying.

Hermione took the next few steps up the stairs before they could go and move on her. Walking along the corridor before she came across the prefects bathroom only realizing she was on the fifth floor of the castle as she passed the statue of Boris the Bewildered.

She gently passed the large swimming pool-like tub, hardly paying any mind to it at all as she crossed to the stalls. There was a lot of sniffling and hiccoughing coming from the second one, and the sobs were a lot more quiet then Moaning Myrtle so she knew she wasn't in for a long rant from the ghost.

Hermione lightly tapped her knuckled against the stall door and she heard the sobs stop rather suddenly. Through the crack in the door she saw jet black hair and she knew who it was without seeing her fully.

"Pansy?"

"Go away."

Her voice was full of despair and Hermione felt horrible for her friend.

"Pansy, you can't keep doing this to yourself, it's not good for you... Or the baby."

She heard the sniffles again and knew Pansy was trying very hard not to cry anymore. But Hermione knew first hand that the hormones won out every time.

"I'm your friend, aren't I?" Hermione asked, leaning against the frame of another stall. "Why won't you talk to me? Why are you ignoring me?"

She heard the struggle in the bathroom and then the sobs continued and the stall door flew open. "I'm so sorry, Hermione," Pansy cried and the bushy haired girl gathered her friend in her arms. "I don't know what's wrong with me lately. I haven't spoken to anyone... B-Blaise keeps asking me if it's him," she shook her head and Hermione ran her fingers through Pansy's inky black hair.

"You need to tell him, Pans," Hermione said softly.

"What if he hates me?" she asked, looking up at Hermione. Her face red, and her eyes puffy with tear tracks down her face. All those names her and Ginny had called her over the years, couldn't be farther from the truth. Pansy was beautiful, _'pug face'_ had really been a horrible insult. And only now as the Slytherin Princess stood there crying, did Hermione realize she had been jealous over Pansy's looks.

Hermione chuckled, she couldn't help it. "He loves you, Pansy," she said, shaking her head. "Blaise could never hate you. He might be shocked, but who wouldn't be? This is big life changing news."

Pansy nodded and soon enough her tears were gone and she was just trying to control her sniffling. Hermione held her the whole time, giving her the comfort she needed. When they parted they both laughed a little.

"I've been a complete arse," Pansy shook her head, running her hands through her hair. "I've ignored everyone- I think everyone,_ but _Luna, might be a little cross with me..."

"If anyone's cross with you," Hermione started. "Don't worry, I'll give them hell, I've heard I've turned into a real bitch with these hormones," she offered a big smile when Pansy laughed and Hermione hugged her once again. "Just trust us, okay. We're all here for you."

And with that they both made their way to dinner.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_May 4th, 1997_

All day Hermione had been feeling odd. Her body just didn't feel normal and at certain parts of the day she almost felt like she was dazing off. She had gone to breakfast and lunch, but when dinner came around that Sunday, she just didn't feel up to going and stayed in her rooms. She had practically forced Draco out of the room and told him to get something to eat and that she would be fine.

He eventually relented. And, of course, left muttering about_ 'stubborn Gryffindors_'.

But a few minuted later the portrait opened and Harry walked in with a tray of food. She nearly growled because she knew why he was there.

"Draco sent you," she practically seethed. "I can't believe that blithering idiot actually sent you hear to stay with me!" she muttered a few words that made Harry's eyebrows raise in surprise.

She was obviously around Draco way too much.

"He's just worried about you," Harry said, his nose scrunching up when he realized he had just stuck up for Draco Malfoy.

She shook her head, her hands resting over her very pregnant belly. "Yeah, well..." she was at a loss, not one good reply cooked up in her overly assertive brain.

Harry plopped down next to her and placed the tray of food on the coffee table, picking a green bean up and eating it. "Plus, you do need to eat and I wanted to see how you were. He was going to send Nott."

Hermione gave Harry a very pointed look. "Honestly, Harry... If your going to sit with them every once and a while during meals the least you could do is-" Hermione looked down abruptly, her eyes as wide as a pair of quaffles. "Oh no..." she said, feeling a warmth soak through her undies and pants. Her face turning a brilliant shade of red.

"Hermione?" her black haired friend asked and she could only shake her head as she looked up. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

Hermione felt her nerves over the situation soothe as she took in a couple deep breaths, trying to calm herself. "Okay, Harry... I need you to take me to Madam Pomfrey."

"What? Why?"

Hermione slowly got to her feet, Harry jumping up and helping her. "Well, because I either just peed my pants or my water broke."

**TBC**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Here is the next chapter, yay! I hope you like it, I've never ever written a labor piece and I've never had a child, so I tried to work with what I did know. I do however have a niece and nephew and have been told a couple details. This chapter, however, could possibly ruin me. I loved writing it, but I know some people love detail and hardcore facts with something like this. I was just a bit lazy and let my hands do all the talking before I could properly research. Anywho, I'm now giving you all a heads up! I will be away from my computer for a couple days. So it won't be until sometime next week that you will be getting another chapter. I'll be home Sunday, but the chapter probably won't be up until Thursday... Yeah. SO ENJOY. I love you all!

**Chapter 25**

Hermione didn't know if she could do this. Not when the actuality of it all was falling on her as she walked down the corridor. She was going to have a baby, a Death Eaters child. No! Not a Death Eaters child. This baby was not Antonin Dolohov's, this baby was Draco Malfoy's. Not biologically, but this baby would be cared for by Draco and loved by Draco... Draco would be the one to teach Ellery how to ride a broom, and Draco would be the one to kiss her scabby knees when she fell down, and be the father she needed and would grow up to love and respect.

She was taking soft even breaths, watching Harry out of the corner of her eye. He was completely out of his element. Nervous and wishing to run, but at the same time desperately trying to help his friend. _Finally._ She could tell he wanted to get to Madam Pomfrey as quickly as possible, because at moments he would be a few steps ahead of her and then seem to remember himself and fall back to her side once again.

She almost wanted to laugh at him or hug him. She didn't know which. Possibly both.

But that would have to wait for later, because she was too focused on getting to the hospital wing.

Hermione let out a strangled sob as a rush of agony coursed through her. It was cripplingly and she would have fallen to her knees, had not Harry's arm secured itself around her back and held her up. This was no Braxton Hick, this was a true honest to god contraction.

She grabbed Harry's free hand and didn't know just how hard she was squeezing his fingers, until the pain finally ceased and she looked up at him, and saw his face screwed up in pain.

"Sorry," she breathed out, leaning her head against his shoulder as she took deep breaths now.

"I-It's okay," he shook his head and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can fix my broken fingers after the baby's born."

It was a joke, and Hermione's lips quirked slightly, but she couldn't bring herself to laugh.

"Come on," Harry said and gently eased her into walking again, his arm still holding her up and gripping her hand. "We'll get you to the hospital wing and then I'll get Malfoy for you."

Hermione could only nod, not trusting herself to speak.

Harry was finally there with her. He was helping her. He didn't leave her at the first sign of trouble and he wasn't just going to drop her off without getting the person who everyone thought she really needed. And she really did need Draco. He was her salvation in this whole mess. The person who picked her up and made her feel like herself again.

Of course, there were a few others who had helped. And she could never discredit them for their friendship and their loyalty to her. Especially Pansy and Theo. Pansy had been the first one to walk up to her, and Theo had been... Well, he had been Theo. He had been her brother, her family. However, they were all her family, weren't they?

"Ahhh!" Hermione sobbed, clinging to Harry. "Oh Merlin, Harry. I can't do this," she shook her head, gritting her teeth together as another wave of pain came and she held her stomach.

"Yes, you can, Hermione," he said sternly, and before she could say anything further... (not that she could even if she wanted to) Harry picked her up, cradled her body in his arms, and ran.

Hermione jostled in his arms and she moaned in pain as he turned sharply down corridors and then kicked a door open. "Help! Madam Pomfrey!" she felt herself being sat down on one of the hospital beds and then, as long as the contraction had lasted it was suddenly gone. Letting her head fall back against the pillow she sighed.

"Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, and Hermione looked up to see that the medi-witch had been taking dinner in her office, if the dinner roll had anything to say. Thank Merlin! "Miss Granger? Oh my... Is it time? Oh my.. Oh dear..." the other witch's color drained from her face, she dashed out of sight and behind the door and was back in no time with her wand in hand and the dinner roll gone.

She immediately began shooing Harry out of the way and waved her wand about as she asked questions. Hermione answered them all accordingly. But she looked over at Harry's frightened face and she offered him a smile.

"Go get-" but Hermione's voice was cut off, she threw her head back and groaned, her jaw tightening most painfully as she grit her teeth together. Even as Madam Pomfrey told her to take those breathes they'd been working on recently.

It seemed the pain lasted forever, and she really wished to lash out. To curse both Harry and Madam Pomfrey into oblivion. But she held back on the venomous words that floated around her head. When it finally ceased, Hermione looked at Harry wearily, perspiration gathering at her brow.

"Get Draco, _now._"

_**/-/-/-/**_

Picking at his food, Draco stared at his plate. Well, he was glaring at it with a force that could be reckoned with if anyone even thought about speaking to him.

She had thrown him out. Hermione had practically thrown him out of _their_ rooms. Of course, there was a good reason behind it. His need for food, but he could have very well had a house elf from the kitchens bring them both something.

If he was correct, Dobby was now happily living at Hogwarts, free to do as he pleased but delighted to work at the school. So it wouldn't have hurt to have simply called his name and asked for a plate or two of dinner.

But no...

Hermione wanted him gone. She wanted to be alone and have some quality time with one of her books. He knew he should be able to understand that, he was well aware of her bookworm tendencies by now. But was it so wrong for him to worry about her? What if something happened? What if she fell? He wouldn't be there to catch her. What if something went wrong with the baby and he wasn't there to rush her to Madam Pomfrey.

He had asked Theo if he could take her something to eat and stay with her, but Theo's attention was more or less fully on Ginny. So he had made the ultimate sacrifice and asked Potter, who had decided to sit with them that evening. He also noticed, that Daphne Greengrass had saddled up to their neck of the table and was getting on wonderfully with the Boy Wonder.

He smirked. Hermione was going to be pissed when Potter showed up.

He watched as Daphne slinked back to the other Slytherins while Potter left the Great Hall with a tray of food. He had pinned the blonde with a pensive look, contemplating just why the Slytherin girl watched until Potter was out of the hall before she joined her classmates in conversation. _Hmm.._

It had been a while and Draco tried desperately to join the conversations around him, but he just couldn't get interested in Quidditch, or the proper way to care for gillyweed, or whatever the hell nargles were...

He asked Neville what time it was and found that about forty-five minutes had passed since Potter left. Really? Where was his head that whole time? Oh, right... Hermione.

He looked up in alarm when a loud bang reverberated along the Great Halls walls. Like a shot gun blast. His head shooting up and looking towards the doors where one frightened looking Harry Potter came hurrying toward him.

He was on his feet before he knew it, knocking over his glass of pumpkin juice.

"Where is she?"

"Hospital wing," Harry breathed heavily from running all the way from the other side of the castle.

Draco didn't give him a second longer to say anything else, as soon as he heard the word 'hospital' he bolted for the door and ran as fast as his legs could take him.

She was having the baby. That was all he could think about. This was it. The baby was coming. Ellery was coming. He was going to be a father. He knew he wouldn't have any biological ties to the child, but he would give her his name and he would care for her and love her like no other father could ever love their child.

He nearly passed the hospital wing, skidding to a halt just a foot away from the door, where he heard an agonizing moan from a voice he recognized all too well.

He burst through the door, looking around wildly, until he saw her. She was sitting up in the bed, pillows cushioning her back. There were two other women in the room besides Madam Pomfrey that Draco recognized as Mrs. Weasley and his estranged cousin, Nymphadora.

But he only had eyes for one witch. Her hair was a mess, curls more wild than he had ever seen them, she was gripping Mrs. Weasley's hand while the older woman spoke reassuring words. He could see Madam Pomfrey sitting at the foot of the bed, stationed between Hermione's legs that he just noticed were levitated by magical means. And his cousin was wiping her forehead with a damp wash cloth.

None of them noticed him. All of them quite busy. He could see the pain etched on Hermione's face. Knowing that she was contracting for real this time and it wasn't just some minor Braxton Hicks. She was in labor.

And he was completely invisible...

He could leave. He could walk out of there right now without them ever knowing he had been there. He had the chance to hightail it out of there, grab his shit and be done with it for good. But the mere thought of leaving Hermione, of leaving the baby, made his heart throb.

He couldn't leave.

"Draco?" her voice was weak and he didn't waste one moment in getting to her, Tonks moving out of the way so he could be at her side. He didn't know what his face looked like, he probably looked scared shitless, but her smile was a warm welcome. One that he didn't know if he was returning or not.

He took her hand, lifting the other and brushing a couple stray pieces of hair off her forehead.

He briefly heard Madam Pomfrey say Hermione still had had a few more centimeters to go and by what he had read, he knew that she had to be, at the very least, seven centimeters along before she could even start to push.

"Have you given her a potion for the pain?" he asked, not even looking up as he stared into Hermione's brown orbs.

He heard shifting. "It didn't take, Mr. Malfoy," Madam Pomfrey told him and his eyes closed briefly at the knowledge that this was going to be a completely natural birth.

When he opened his eyes again it was at the feeling of Hermione's hand tightening painfully around his. He didn't utter one sound of discomfort. She could have broken every bone in every one of his fingers and he wouldn't have let her know he was hurting.

Bringing his face down, he let his lips brush against her ear. "I'm here..." he told her. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." He kept whispering encouragements into her ear to get her passed the pain. Each time a contraction came he would talk to her, and when it eased he kissed her jaw or her forehead.

He didn't know how long they had been doing that, and some time ago she had started crying. Muttering that it was too much. "It hurts, Draco. It hurts so much," she sobbed and it took all Draco had not to burst into tears beside her. All he could do was wipe away the wetness on her cheeks and tell her she was doing great.

One moment he had looked up and saw Mrs. Weasley gazing at him with a weird look on her face. It took a moment before he realized that she was looking at him with approval and for some reason, he felt his heart lift. As if her acceptance of his spot in Hermione's life had been what he had been waiting for all this time. And now she was finally giving her blessing, her consent.

It was odd, really. He'd never actually talked to the woman, never even thought about her. Of course, he'd seen her whenever they were asked to Dumbledore's office, but... The look she gave him made him want to be a better person. It made him want so much to be able to care and provide for Hermione. So he could make her proud of him.

Looking down at Hermione as another contraction hit, he promised he would never leave her side. He would always be with her, always take care of her. He would never let anything hurt her.

Of course, there was nothing he could do now, as she went through the most horrible pain imaginable. If he could, he would bare the pain for her. Sadly, he couldn't.

"Okay, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey suddenly said, poking her head up, when the last contraction finally settled. "Your free to push when the next contraction comes."

Draco looked at the medi-witch, his eyes doubling in size. It was happening, the baby was going to come. He looked down at Hermione and watched as her own eyes looked up at him in fear. She was scared.

Not knowing what to do, Draco leaned down and met her lips with his own. The kiss was soft and chaste, but it held an underlying meaning that Draco confirmed when he pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"I love you."

He watched her eyes water even more, her cheeks already wet with tears. She was utterly and undeniably beautiful.

"I love you too-" the words were followed by a howl of pain, and while Draco's heart soared and his hand was crushed in her little but unbelievably strong fingers, he joined the women in telling Hermione to push.

The encouragements for her to push came out more easily now. And he brushed her hair out of her face when she collapsed back against the bed and breathed deeply. Madam Pomfrey stating that the baby was crowning.

"Relax," Draco told her, resting his forehead against her own as he felt her breathe, feeling her tears silently fall from her eyes and onto his cheeks. He felt her trembling, her hand still holding his tightly, and he ran his thumb along the back of her hand gently.

The minutes ticked by and it felt much too soon when Hermione started to sit up again, readying herself for another push. This time though, he crawled up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her both of his hands for support (letting Mrs. Weasley take a break), as she grit her teeth once more and pushed. An agonizing cry left her once again, and he kissed her shoulder, feeling all of her muscles in her back move as his chest was pressed against her.

When she relaxed back against him, it was with a loud sigh and he kissed her temple. "You're doing great," he told her, after Madam Pomfrey said that the head was out. There was a bit of a hustle as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand and then suddenly the medi-witch was telling Hermione she had one last push and it had to be quick.

Draco could feel his whole being fill with dread at the tone of the matrons voice, but he promptly started whispering encouragements once more. He could feel her body tense with worry. "Push, Hermione," he told her, firmly "Come on, love. You have to push..."

He felt her gather every ounce of strength she had, taking a large breath before she pushed one last time with a cry on her lips. The sound of it echoing off the walls.

As she collapse once again against him, the room was filled with a petrifying silence. That wasn't right... there was supposed to be a baby wailing.

Once again he pressed a kiss to Hermione's temple as he watched Madam Pomfrey wave her wand, severing the umbilical cord and Mrs. Weasley took the baby to another bed. One that had to be transfigured so the baby could fit comfortably.

"What's wrong?" he heard Hermione's voice speak weakly and he felt her trying to sit up, but he held her down. "Stop, Draco..." she pleaded. "What's wrong with her? Is she okay?"

Draco held Hermione gently even as she struggled, listening as she now started crying out of fear and worry, any pain now forgotten as the life of their baby was now at hand. He vaguely saw Madam Pomfrey still working between Hermione's legs, his attention solely on the red headed woman just a couple feet away as she waved her wand about.

He couldn't even see the baby, they had already covered her up. He had half a mind to jump out of the bed and walk over, but he was too scared to move a muscle.

He tried to whisper assuring words to Hermione as she clung to him and cried, but he was in no better shape. His tears hadn't fallen, but he was holding on by a very thin string.

He nearly jumped for joy when Mrs. Weasley whispered a spell and he heard the softest intake of breath, followed by a small whine that turned into the loudest and most glorious wail he had ever heard. His tears nearly fell then, but he didn't cry.

"Oh thank god," Hermione cried, almost turning around to burrow herself in his arms. He held her tightly. "She's okay! Draco, she's okay!"

Draco could only smile and nod, not trusting himself to speak and he slowly slipped out from behind Hermione, as Madam Pomfrey and his cousin started to fix her pillows. He didn't let go of her hand though, making the women work around him.

When Hermione was finally comfortable, Mrs. Weasley stepped forward with the bundle of pink blankets.

"She's beautiful, Hermione.." the Weasley matriarch said, handing Hermione the small bundle.

Hermione looked frightened for a moment, unsure of what to do and Draco gently sat down beside her. Reaching out, he gently moved the blankets away with his fingers, revealing the smallest face Draco had ever laid eyes on.

Hermione was crying again, only this time happily, and he could only stare at the little face, his bottom lips wobbling. She was perfect, with a head of brown hair that would be just as bushy as her moms when she grew up. Oh, he could see it now... having to beat all the boys away with a stick.

Hermione sniffled and Draco looked at her and wiped his thumb against her cheek, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers briefly.

"You're amazing," he told her quietly. Unaware that the other women in the room had left to give them some peace.

Her laugh wobbled with tiredness, and he could finally see all the strains of labor catching up with her. She didn't take her eyes off the baby for quite some time and when she did, she looked at him with such adoration on her face, he felt his heart jump.

"Do you want to hold her?"

Draco gulped visibly, but he nodded, slowly taking the baby into his arms. He stood up and looked at her. Her wails had stopped since the moment Mrs. Weasley put her into Hermione's arms, and she didn't even whimper now that she was away from her mother.

"Hello, Ellery Charlotte Malfoy-" he whispered, his voice catching as he glanced briefly at Hermione. Her smile weak, but her eyes were shining with joy. He looked back to _his_ daughter. _Their _daughter. "Merlin, you're as beautiful as your mother," he said, and it was then that the dam broke and the water gates opened.

He had tried so hard not to cry. Why should he when it was Hermione who had been through all the pain? But he wasn't crying out of agony. He was unbelievably happy. No one could ever take away his jubilation. No one...

"I'm your dad," he whispered softly though his tears. "I'm your dad."

**TBC**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Another chapter! I got back yesterday and started writing and couldn't stop. I thought it would take a couple extra days to get this chapter together, but nope! You all have made me so incredibly happy! The last chapter got the most reviews of any other chapter. Twenty-three of them! I cried, I really did. You guys are really fueling me here! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter 26**

Draco had never felt so useless. There he sat, in the hospital wing of Hogwarts nearly six hours after Hermione had given birth to the most beautiful baby girl he had ever seen. Their daughter... While they had been given a couple of moments to be alone (most of the time in which Draco cried like a little baby, himself), their time together was short lived.

He had wanted Hermione to sleep. Madam Pomfrey had agreed, but not before she gave them the most horrible news. News that crashed their happiness instantly into, yet, another worry. Ellery was sick. So much so that when Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley returned to the room, they had someone else with them and it wasn't Draco's cousin.

Healer Simone Goodwinn was the best in her field, and her field just so happened to be congenital heart defects in the Pediatrics ward of St. Mungo's. While Draco had been sure Hermione understood all of the long words and technical sayings, Draco asked many questions until the Healer gave up and simply told him that Ellery had a hole in her heart.

At the time he had been holding Ellery. He had looked down at the sweet little being in his arms and wondered; how could she have a hole in her heart? That had been easily explained after the Healer did a quick test on Hermione which involved an overly dramatic wand wave. It had been declared genetic.

Healer Goodwinn then went on to ask Hermione questions about her family's medical history. Draco refused on the spot, telling the whole room in a loud voice that Hermione needed sleep as he had handed Ellery to Hermione to give her a bit of comfort beforehand. And, of course, Hermione shook her head and said she was fine.

It had been two hours before Hermione had finished giving the Healer everything she needed to know, during that time she finally fed Ellery for the first time. Hermione was too tired to tell him to turn around when her gown was pulled down her shoulders, but Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley weren't.

The next couple of hours were filled with tests and a couple of arguments. Mainly brought on by Draco's frustration over everything. Like why wasn't this hole in Ellery's heart found sooner, like _before she was even born_? Then they could at least have had some time to settle into the idea, instead of it being thrown at them like a pile of bricks.

Madam Pomfrey had looked almost close to tears when Draco ranted over it, and they all had been quiet (except for Hermione, who cried quietly while she cuddle Ellery close to her chest), until he was done.

Healer Goodwinn was most understanding and sincere, when she replied; telling him that magic wasn't always so reliable, and even medicinal magics couldn't pick up some illness unless it was being looked for purposefully. It was a miracle Mrs. Weasley even stumbled upon it. If she hadn't been trying to clear Ellery's airways and accidentally cast a unmitigated heart scanning charm in her haste to save the child, they wouldn't have known. Possibly until Ellery was a toddler.

But now that it was caught it could easily be fixed with a potion. However, the potion had to be taken for two months straight with one small dose every day before her morning feeding. And while that was good news, and had taken a bit of the weight off of his and Hermione's shoulders, the fact that Healer Goodwinn wanted to take Ellery to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mungo's for this, did not suit well with Draco. Not at all...

It obviously didn't suit well with Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley either, because no sooner had he hollered out an '_I don't fucking think so, you daft cow!_' in true Draco Malfoy form, had the other two witches exclaimed their mutual feelings over the matter.

Healer Goodwinn evidently got the message and backed off. Saying that she would come to check on Ellery once every week to see how things were progressing. They already had a potions master, they didn't need to pay extra money on something Professor Snape would no doubt give to them freely.

Hermione, however, tried desperately to desist. Her weakened state not giving her much energy to do so though. Had she been her usual self, she would have fought with a passion, but now she was reduced to tears and saying Severus Snape had already done so much for them.

When Hermione's tears finally ceased, she fell asleep with Ellery nestled next to her on the bed and even with all the stress that had frazzled her nerves over the passed few hours, there was a modest smile on her lips.

Ellery was sick. But, they had a cure.

As Draco sat alone (Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley having left a while ago), he thought over how muggles did this. How did muggle parents get through this without magic? As he understood it, while even magic couldn't detect certain things without dilberate searching... When they did find something, wizards and witches could cure almost anything... Muggles, they either didn't have the cures they desperately needed, or their treatments were painful and took years, sometimes they didn't even work and sometimes they caused more problems.

Draco sighed. He would never be able to make it in the muggle world. He wasn't prejudice, it was just that had him and Hermione been muggles and had Ellery been born as she was with a hole in her poor little heart, he wouldn't be able to take all the waiting a muggle parent had to do in order for their child to be healthy. He was happy he was born a wizard and that his Ellery could just take a potion and within a couple months she would be right as rain.

He was happy, but at the same time he felt guilty. Because muggle parents who were in his same position or in even worse situations didn't have the treatments his world had. Those parents were left to deal with doctors putting their children through terrible tests and procedures...

He sat up when he saw Ellery stir, glad for the distraction as he stood up. In two long strides he was at the bedside and looking down into the wide baby blue eyes of one Ellery Malfoy. He smiled down at her, her mouth opening in a state of wonder.

Draco lifted her into his arms, careful not to wake Hermione, and cradled Ellery against his chest.

"Hey, you," he whispered quietly, gently rocking her as he walked around the room.

Ellery just stared up at him. It was quite funny how she looked so impassive, while he had a large dimpled grin on his face.

"You are beautiful, yes you are," he said, almost cringing at the sound of his voice, an inner voice inside telling him he was completely and utterly screwed now. He was a Nancy and he would remain a Nancy until the day he died. However, he could only smile at the baby in his arms.

But a small squeak had him alert.

In a quick rush of movement, Ellery was held protectively against his chest and his wand was out and pointing at the empty room. His heart was thudding hard in his chest. Was the attack happening? Did someone break into Hogwarts? Why wasn't the school sending off alarms, surely Dumbledore would know!

"Put the wand away, Malfoy," came a snicker and he watched as Harry bloody fucking Potter whipped off his invisibility cloak and appeared.

He didn't pocket his wand right away. "Merlin's balls, Potter," he sneered, checking on Ellery quickly to find her face scrunched up in disapproval and her lip wobbling on a coming wail. He quickly put his wand away and then gently began rocking her again. "No, no... It's okay, daddy's here, love. I didn't mean to startle you..."

Harry was forgotten for the moment as Draco tried to calm Ellery. He didn't want Hermione to wake up, she had already been put through enough tonight. He was more than happy to care for Ellery while Hermione slept and regained her strength.

Ellery soon fell asleep in his arms and he gently eased himself into the chair beside Hermione's bed. Looking up and surprised to find Harry was still there.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly, frowning.

"I wanted to make sure Hermione was okay," the black haired boy replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Madam Pomfrey said no one was to visit until she was sure Hermione was one hundred percent back to her usual self."

Draco raised an eyebrow at that. "You have a bit of a problem with authorization, don't you?"

Instead of a protest, Draco was one again surprised. Harry grinned and shrugged his shoulders. But then the grin faltered. "We all saw the healer arrive..."

"All?"

"The whole group; Ginny, Nott, Neville, Luna, Parkinson and Zabini," Harry elaborated.

"Hmm..." Draco sounded, before he looked down at Ellery, gently brushing back some of the brown feather-like hair off her forehead.

He heard Potter shift, and when he looked up he was sitting in another chair. "What's wrong with Hermione?"

"Nothing," Draco replied quickly, shaking his head. Should he tell Potter? While the shithead had been there for her lately, what about in the beginning? He had to remind himself that Hermione forgave him and he sighed and reluctantly opened his mouth. "Ellery's sick. She'll be fine," Draco added quickly when Harry opened his mouth to speak. "But, her heart isn't right and it'll take some time for a potion to heal it properly."

The was a long silence, before Harry spoke. "How's Hermione taking it?" He finally asked.

Draco shrugged. "As best she can. You can imagine how upset she was, but knowing that it can be healed helped."

Harry nodded and another silence fell over them. It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but it was a little weird. He never really had such a civilized conversation with Potter before...

"Can I hold her?" Harry asked after the third time he looked off towards the door to make sure Madam Pomfrey wasn't coming.

Draco stared at him for a long moment, before he looked at Ellery. It was very obvious that Draco wasn't her father. Besides looking just like Hermione, Ellery did have a rather aristocratic nose, but one that looked nothing like his. And her little chin, while a little chubby had a bit of a point to it, that once again was not even the least bit similar to his own pointy chin.

With a sigh, he stood. Walking over and debating in the mean time whether this was such a good idea. Should he wait for Hermione? But he couldn't very well refuse Potter. There would be questions... Hell, there was going to be questions anyway!

Very slowly he settled Ellery into Harry's arms, moving the pink blankets away from her face, so he could see her clearly. Might as well let the boy wonder see it straight on. He stepped back and watched as the smile slowly faded from the boy-who-just-wouldn't-die's face, watched as his eyes grew twice as large as a pair of bludgers, and his mouth fell open. In the past he might have laughed, but it wasn't really funny now.

Ellery didn't have his blood, but she was his child.

"She..." Harry looked up and Draco grit his teeth together. "But, you- Hermione- What the bloody hell, Malfoy?"

"It's really not my story to tell," Draco said and he looked to the child in Harry's arms. "I told you to ask her when you wanted to know what was wrong in April... Apparently you didn't really want to know."

"I didn't know how to ask," he replied, having to lower his voice when it started to rise.

Draco stepped forward and took Ellery once again. "What I can say is, she might not have my blood running through her veins, but she is my daughter. Alright, Potter? If you want any other information, you have to ask Hermione," he told him with a glare. "_When _she's feeling better."

Draco placed the sleeping Ellery back down on the bed beside Hermione. Making sure she was covered correctly and that the blankets couldn't cover her face before he sat down again, running his hands over his face with a sigh.

Both of them sat there for a long time, staring over at the bed where Hermione and Ellery lay sleeping. Draco was exhausted, he knew he needed sleep, but there was no way in hell he would be able to.

Not tonight.

"So..." Harry said after nearly thirty minutes passed and nothing was said. It was very clear Draco wasn't going to talk anymore about his and Hermione's situation. "Uh, you know Daphne Greengrass, right?"

Draco's eyebrows shot up, and he looked over at him curiously. He almost wanted to smirk, but he miraculously held it in. He didn't say anything, only gave a nonchalant nod.

"Is she- Well, is she really-"

"Is she really that sweet or is she just playing some sort of game with you?"

Harry's eyes grew wide once again and this time Draco did smirk.

"Pansy told me that the sorting hat was going to place her in Hufflepuff. If you can believe that?" Draco told him, seriously. Not really knowing _why_ he was telling Potter this. But he saw the look of surprise on his face it nearly made him want to laugh. He held it in, however. Thankfully. "But she asked it not to. The Greengrass', while they don't follow that pureblood insanity, they have been in Slytherin for more than seven generations. To be in Hufflepuff, in her eyes, would have shamed the family."

Draco watched as he soaked all that information in. And it wasn't too long before Harry left and told him to tell Hermione he came by and that he really would like to talk to her when Madam Pomfrey finally approved visitations.

_**/-/-/-/**_

_May 7th, 1997_

"Merlin's hairy balls, Hermione!" Draco exclaimed as he lugged in a suitcase. "What the fuck are you packing in this thing?"

"Language, Draco," Hermione tsked.

Hermione was now free to leave the hospital wing, but she was in no way leaving her daughter behind. No sir! And Draco backed her up. Ellery needed to stay some place that she could be checked on every hour and just by chance if something went wrong she would already be in a stable environment. St. Mungo's was out of the question. And now that Ellery was born, Hermione was skeptical of the safety of the school, especially with the knowledge of the oncoming attack.

But, Dumbledore had assured her that measures were being taken. If his word wasn't enough the sight of Remus Lupin and Tonks sure did reassure her that when the time came, they would be under a great deal of security.

So while Ellery was stuck in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey had fixed up the room in the corner of the infirmary for special cases. Giving them a bed to sleep in beside Ellery's crib.

Tonks walked in with another suitcase. Draco's suitcase, so it was feather light and she easily plopped it onto the floor.

Hermione turned to the pink haired witch and once again engulfed the clumsy, older girl in her arms. "Thank you so much for being there," she said for the umpteenth time, scowling when she saw Draco roll his eyes, but she smiled at Tonks' laugh.

"Hermione, you are an admiral witch. I would do anything for you," Tonks said. "If you could do just one little thing for me, hm?"

"What?" she smiled, brightly. Noticing, Draco cross his arms over in the corner as he looked at them.

"_Please_, stop thanking me," she told her, pleadingly. And Hermione threw a glare over her shoulder when Draco laughed. "I wasn't even there when you gave birth."

"I know," Hermione sighed. "But you were there at the start and that's something..."

Hermione had already thanked Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley as many times as she had Tonks, and she did notice that all of them were getting more than a little annoyed with her because of it. But she couldn't help it. They helped bring Ellery into the world, _and_ on top of that Mrs. Weasley _saved_ Ellery's life.

Both her and Draco owed the oldest Weasley woman a life debt.

_**/-/-/-/**_

After they were settled in the room and Tonks had left, Hermione wanted to jump into her school work while Ellery was napping. Of course, the moment she opened her book the door burst opened and the room filled with familiar faces she hadn't seen in days.

Hermione forgot Madam Pomfrey gave them the go ahead on visits.

The noise, nevertheless, woke Ellery and her daughter was soon passed around from person to person.

Pansy had shattered into tears and Blaise patted Draco on the back, before he kissed Pansy's cheek and whispered in her ear. This surprised Hermione, but made her happy beyond reason. Pansy told Blaise! And Blaise didn't seem at all mad, he seemed happy. If not a little nervous, but who wouldn't be?

Ginny had cooed over the baby while Theo gave Hermione a big hug. The tears in his eyes didn't escape her, however, and she pulled him back into a bone-crushing embrace that lasted for so long, she didn't even know how much time passed until they let go when Ellery began crying. When they looked they found Neville holding her with a petrified look on his face. Draco easily transferred their daughter into Luna's arms next.

When Luna held Ellery, the dreamy smile on her face almost sobered and she had looked at Neville pointedly, her words making the whole room burst into peels of laughter.

"_I want ten of them."_

As Ellery fell asleep, all of their friends gave them small goodbyes and then left for them to rest. Madam Pomfrey had come to check on Ellery once more and then left with a smile on her lips.

Finally they were alone. With Ellery in her crib, fast asleep, Hermione cuddle in Draco's embrace. But something was bothering her. All of her friends had come, but not Harry. Draco told her Harry had shown up when she was sleeping that night she gave birth to Ellery, had told her he wanted to talk to her. But where was he?

Hermione eventually fell asleep, homework forgotten, and both her and Draco were given leave on their classes. Thank Merlin. Although, Hermione still wanted to keep up with her studies...

It was in the middle of the night that she was gently shaken awake and Hermione looked up to see Draco smiling down at her, with Ellery in his arms.

"Do you want me to take her?" she asked him, tiredly. They had come to know over the past couple nights that they wouldn't get a good nights sleep for some time. But neither were too bothered about it. Eventually they might get Ellery on a schedule. Hopefully.

"No," he whispered quietly, leaning down and kissing her briefly on the mouth. "Someone's here to see you," he told her and then reached to turn on the bedside lamp.

Hermione sat up and noticed Harry in the doorway.

"Harry? What are you doing here?"

Harry looked over at Draco and Hermione noticed a very odd silent conversation take place between them. Before she could say anything, Draco kissed the top of her head and then left the room with Ellery, humming the song Magic Works by the Weird Sisters as the door closed behind him.

"Harry?" Hermione tried again, as she watched her friend worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

Harry shook his head and slowly stepped forward and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He sighed and looked down at his hands.

"Ellery's not Malfoy's is she?"

"What?" Hermione felt her eyebrows disappear into her hairline. She wasn't at all ready for that question. Hell, she had just woken up and it was... Looking at the clock she nearly growled. It was three in the goddamn morning!

"She doesn't look like him at all, Hermione," Harry said sadly, and finally looked at her. "I've been a horrible friend. I know this. I've been desperately trying to sort it out between us, but I haven't been going about it correctly, have I? I should have asked you questions... One's I've had for a long time, but didn't know how to ask."

Hermione bit her lip as she felt the sting in her eyes. Any resentment at being woken up at such an ungodly hour gone. So it was time then. Finally, Harry was catching on.

"I want you to start when it all began... During the summer," he added more quietly, knowing that it was already a sore subject with her parents death. If only he knew all of it... And it seemed he would know it in only a short time. "Don't hold back. Don't tell me only half truths. I want it all. Everything. I need to know."

Hermione stared at him as he looked at her expectantly. Where to start... How to start, really. She hadn't told this in what seemed like forever. Closing her eyes for a moment she took a deep breath. "It happened after lunch," she said, seeing it all before her eyes. Helping her mother with the dishes, while her father went to go get a book from his office that he had told Hermione about when they had been eating. Shaking her head she opened her eyes and looked back at Harry. She delved into what happened, and as Harry had asked, she left out nothing. As ugly as the truth was, she let it all out.

By the time she was done, she hadn't shed one tear. Which was quite unusual. Harry, on the other hand, had crumbled. During the whole story she had noticed how his hands clenched, she'd seen the vein in his temple throb with anger and now that the story was over he was brought over by the grief. He was finally understanding, and he was finally seeing that he had left her to the dogs at such a crucial time- A time when she had needed him more than anything.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he sobbed into her neck, as she comforted him, holding him and running her hands through his messy black hair. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh. It's okay. I've forgiven you, Harry. You _are_ forgiven," she had told him this a couple times before he fell asleep, having cried himself into a fitful slumber.

She covered him up with the blankets and when Draco came back he raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Where am I going to sleep?"

"On the floor."

"Oh, I think not, witch."

"What? Are you going to sleep with both Harry and I?" she asked him, teasingly.

Draco growled as he set a sleeping Ellery back in the crib and then turned on Hermione, a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Scoot over," he told her.

Hermione's eyebrows jumped up. "Really?" she asked, but she did so anyway.

Draco got into the bed and wrapped his arms around Hermione as she snuggled up against him, Harry fast asleep on the other side of her. "How did he take it?" he asked and she smiled when his lips pressed against her temple.

"I've never seen him cry like that before," she answered quietly, almost sadly. "He broke, Draco."

"Of course, he did," Draco replied and she looked up at him curiously. He only smiled back. "He's one of your best friends. A brother, just like Theo. I would be surprised if he hadn't."

And with that they fell asleep in each other arms. Harry Potter snoring lightly beside them.

**TBC**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Here you go lovelies! I'm actually pretty happy with this chapter, because I'm a little evil in it. I had wanted it to come earlier, but it didn't come along as quickly as I had hoped. First of all, I rewrote it numerous times. Well, that's an exaggeration. I rewrote it once. The one before this was going to have the whole school finding about what happened with the bed incident, a fight between Draco, Harry, and Ron (with Harry defending Draco); and a bit of Snape acting snarky to a bleeding Ronald Weasley in need of medical attention (to which Snape purposely ignored Ron's bleeding nose and gave him detention).

Now as it was all great when I was writing it, I went back to proofread and it just didn't mix well with where this story is going. I will possibly put it up as a deleted scene or something later, but it's more likely not to be put up at all

Now onto a bit of better news. I am deeply in love with Charlie Weasley. Anyone else. He's of course made it to my '_Who I Ship Hermione With.._' list. I find it so hilarious, how Luna Lovegood is my favorite character, yet I can't stop shipping Hermione with practically everyone... Well, you know aside from Harry and Ron, because... Ew. Yuck. Gag me with a fucking spoon here! haha..

Anyway... I hope you all enjoy this. I should probably warn you that there's a bit of a cliffy... And you might all hate me... Nah, I know you love me! Just enjoy! (Wow... This is the longest Author's Note I've ever written and most is a bit of ranting...yeesh.)

Ellery Pronunciation: EH-le-ree

**Chapter 27**

_Hermione woke up slowly, stretching her body as she raised her hands above her head with a large yawn. She didn't open her eyes immediately. Ellery wasn't crying, but when her daughter came to mind she did peek over at the crib and found her baby girl still fast asleep. _

_She caught a bit of movement out of the corner of her eye and her head turned swiftly to find a pair of large gray orbs looking at her with the utmost incredulity on his face. It was shock and disappointment all in one._

"_Theo?"_

"_You had a slumber party and you didn't invite me?" He said, his bottom lip poking out in a pout._

_Hermione rolled her eyes when she saw that twinkle in his eye and he let out a laugh, as he walked over to the foot of the bed. _

"_Reckon we should wake them up?" he asked her, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes._

_Hermione looked to one side of her, where Draco lay. On his side with one arm covering his face and the other under the pillow. When she turned to Harry, she nearly laughed. He was on his back, spread eagle and nearly falling off the bed with his mouth open and snoring lightly._

"_Go ahead," she told him, almost regretting it when she saw him smirk mischievously._

_But first, she slipped out of the bed and went over to the crib to get a good look at Ellery, then put a charm over the bed so anything Theo did wouldn't wake her._

_She turned just in time to see Theo land on his knees on the mattress, jumping up and down and making the bed creak. "Wake up, you ugly gits! Rise and shine for this beautiful morning!"_

_Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth when Harry fell off the bed startled and Draco jumped up with wide eyes, grabbing his wand from the bedside table. It took him a moment to realize it was just Theo. Harry slowly peeked up over the side of the bed and Draco laid back with a groan._

"_So..." Theo said, his tone filled with mirth. "Have fun last night, did you? Hermione tells me you two were rather nice to watch."_

"_Theodore Nott!" Hermione yelled, her eyes as wide as saucers as she took a menacing step towards him._

"_What?" Theo asked, pouting and pointing at Draco accusingly. "He makes fun of me every chance he gets."_

"_That's true," Draco mumbled._

"_Not helping, Draco..." Hermione rolled her eyes and then she looked over at Harry who was still sitting on the floor, leaning his head against the bed and looking at her, sadly. "You okay, Harry?" she asked him gently. Hoping that he wasn't still blaming himself. She loved him. She forgave him. She just wished he could forgive himself. And maybe it wouldn't happen today. Nor tomorrow. But she didn't want him to be condemned. She didn't want him to do something rash, because of what she told him last night._

_The look on her face must have expressed this, because the sorrow on his face was soon replaced with a smile. One that didn't quite reach his eyes. _

"_I'm fine," he said, pulling himself up to his feet. "By the way, Nott... Malfoy was wonderful last night" he stated and plopped back down on the bed. The sarcasm was so thick and the words so sweet it had her doubling over in laughter (as well as Theo). So much so she nearly missed Draco's response that came some moments later._

"_You are very talented yourself, my dear Potter."_

_It took quite some time before Hermione and Theo could calm themselves. And when they did Hermione was almost thrown into another fit._

_Theo looked between Draco and Harry, curiously, with a huge smile on his face though, that told he was completely having them on. "You know... I could almost see it. You two fight a lot. More then the norm...Obviously you two are head over heals in lust and just want to have a nice long shag."_

_Hermione snorted. Harry grimaced. And Draco, well, Draco rolled his eyes._

"_Oh yeah?" Draco asked. "There's just one problem with all that, Theo."_

"_And what's that?" the sandy haired boy asked._

"_Potter and I are completely and sincerely heterosexual," Draco drawled. "And to prove my point," he continued when Theo opened his mouth. "I'm 'head over heals', as you put, for Hermione. And if I'm correct... Potter fancy's Daphne Greengrass."_

"_What?" Hermione shouted, rounding on one of her best friends. "How do I not know this?"_

"_Well, Hermione.. You see-" The argument that followed wasn't pretty. Harry Potter had his ass chewed quite thoroughly, and then handed back to him. _

_**/-/-/-/**_

_May 28th, 1997_

It was quite amazing that morning hadn't gotten around the school. Of course, it was also a bit of a relief. Hermione had already dealt with enough of the schools ridicule. She'd been harassed on both a verbal and physical front. She had been teased beyond measure and ostracized by even her best of friends.

Of course, her friendship with Harry Potter was no longer being pondered. Harry had finally righted his wrong. And while he desperately wanted to go after Dolohov, Hermione had also talked him out of it. Reminding him there were more important things to focus on. Like whatever it was he was doing with Dumbledore. She never asked whenever it came up, but the way he left it always made her worry it was dangerous.

So, naturally, it had to do with Voldemort.

Hermione tried hard not to worry over her friends. What with Harry and his missions, and the coming attack that could scar Draco and Theo... But she always had the perfect distraction. The most beautiful distraction she'd ever laid eyes on, and it wasn't a book.

"Hello, my darling," Hermione picked Ellery up out of the crib and cradled her against her chest. She had just woken from her afternoon nap.

Ellery hadn't been outside the hospital wing since the day she was born, so no one aside from her friends, the professors, and a few ghosts had laid eyes on her. And it would stay that way until she was one hundred percent better. Hermione, while usually rational, was completely paranoid about Ellery getting worse. But Madam Pomfrey and Healer Goodwinn agreed with her, so she didn't feel like a complete loon whenever she went off on Theo and Blaise about taking Ellery out for some fresh air.

And with Ellery's seclusion came the whispers from the school. Everyone wondered over the 'mystery of Ellery Malfoy'. And much to the disappointment of Lavender, Nearly Headless Nick had boisterously claimed on many occasions how wonderful it was to have a baby in the castle again.

Peeves had even made up a song for the baby, one that was surprisingly free of any insults. Towards the baby anyway, Peeves had become very protective over Ellery. Something that surprised everyone, and anyone who dared insult her had to endure his most horrendous of pranks. But just because Peeves was fond of the baby and his fondness stretched to include Hermione. Draco was excluded...

Many times Draco had woken Ellery from her nap, slamming the door to their room. Or startling her when he would get worked up and yell. 'FUCKING PEEVES'. But the moment Ellery wailed he would take her in his arms and apologize. It was by far the cutest thing Hermione had ever seen.

It was rare for Hermione to ever be alone with her daughter. Draco was usually always there with her. Or a couple of her friends were around. Theo made it his life mission to become the best uncle the world had to offer. And Pansy and Ginny were both trying to win the spot as godmother. Both Draco and Hermione had lacked in choosing godparents and still couldn't pick if their lives depended on it. Looking over all the pros and cons, all of their friends were perfect to look after Ellery if anything ever happened to them. All of them had their strength and perks for taking care of Ellery and teaching her all the necessary things in life.

But they had to choose someday.

Just not any day soon.

"Daddy's birthday is in a week," Hermione said quietly, having sat down on the bed to lay Ellery on her stomach for a bit of tummy time. Casting a shielding charm around the bed, just in case. "What should we get him, hm?" she asked, gently brushing her fingers through her daughters feathery brown hair, while Ellery tried to raise her head up.

It was amazing how quickly she was growing already. Even only three weeks old and she was so alert. Hermione fiercely tried not to think of her growing up and becoming a teenager or meeting some boy and getting married. It made her want to cry, because she wanted Ellery to be her baby always. But she knew. She knew that someday, her baby would grow up. Someday, she would meet a boy at school, maybe date a few.. And then she would meet the one and get married and have babies of her own.

Someday...

But not today.

No, Hermione was going to cherish every moment she had with her daughter. The day would come when Ellery would grow and leave the nest, but it wasn't today and it definitely wasn't tomorrow. She just hoped time would treat her well.

Hermione looked up when the door opened and she saw Pansy standing there. "Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked with a bright smile on her face, something that was so uncommon some months ago.

Pansy shrugged her shoulders. "I had an appointment with Madam Pomfrey."

"And?"

"My due date is October 31st," she laughed and shook her head. "I'm nearly four months along now..."

Hermione scoffed. "You don't look like your almost four months," she said, remembering when that time had come around for her and her belly had popped. "Where's Blaise?"

Pansy smiled and rolled her eyes. "Theo dragged him off to the library. Apparently they both still have their Transfiguration work to do..."

"You have got to be kidding," Hermione said, picking Ellery up when she began to fuss. "They don't have much time the way they go about their work, there's only a couple hours until curfew." she stated, absolutely appalled, while Ellery calmed once cradled.

So, that was why Theo had wanted to take a peak at her homework. That little snot!

Pansy sat down on the edge of the bed and Hermione caught her looking at Ellery curiously.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked.

Pansy looked up in surprise. "Um- I don't know..."

"You're going to have to get used to holding a baby, Pans," Hermione told her gently and then she too looked down at her daughter, smiling as she stared back up at her with her curious, big blue eyes. "Here," before Pansy could argue, Hermione placed Ellery in her arms. "You have to hold her hea- there you go," she said cheerfully, as Pansy supported Elle's head.

When Hermione sat back, she noticed just how awkward Pansy's posture was. She contemplated taking Ellery back, but then saw as Pansy's fear slowly ebbed away when she curiously looked at Ellery's tiny fingers.

"Do you think I'll be a good mum, Hermione?"

Hermione didn't hesitate, she didn't even have to think before answering. "Of course, you will be."

_**/-/-/-/**_

_June 5th, 1997_

Hermione woke up first, her eyes opening slowly. She smiled at the first thing she saw. A pale face turned toward her and his silver-blonde hair nearly falling in his eyes. The birthday boy. She briefly wondered on giving him a haircut, but as she really went over it and remembered the days when he slicked it back... She nearly shivered in revulsion. No. He was more than nice looking with his hair growing all shaggy. He was beyond handsome.

Over the past week, she had exhausted herself trying to find him a birthday present. While she wasn't allowed in Hogsmeade since the letters came, she'd looked through over a million catalogs for that special something. Brooms, robes, books, school supplies, candy, she even thought about getting him a damn owl!

She knew for a fact, that while Draco wasn't a bookworm like her, he read and enjoyed reading a good book. But when she asked him about the kind of books he'd already finished... She found that he had read every book she considered getting him.

He had alluded to not wanting another broom, that his worked fine. Also stating that he was no longer on the Quidditch team, so it was useless to boot.

In fact, he had told her he didn't want anything for his birthday. That if anything at all... He wanted a day with just Hermione and Ellery. But of course, his birthday had to fall on a school day.

With a glance at the clock, Hermione was glad they still had a couple hours until classes started. She had finally gotten him a little something, but she had also decided on another gift. Something she had known he wanted, but had never taken. Something that she wasn't exactly too sure on giving... But had decided on it anyway.

Very slowly, Hermione sat up in the bed. Glancing over at the crib briefly. It was still so early that even Ellery wasn't up and around, yet. And to make sure Ellery wouldn't be woken up from any noise, Hermione grabbed her wand from the nightstand, and muttered a silencing charm around the bed.

She looked down at Draco, still sleeping with his mouth gently open, small exhales drifting out. Hermione laid back down and reached out, placing her palm against his cheek. Her thumb running back and forth across his smooth skin.

"Draco?" she spoke quietly, scooting closer to him when he inhaled deeply and his eyebrows rose. "Draco, wake up..." she said again, smiling when he grunted in protest and wrapped his arm around her middle.

"Mm-wha?" he asked tiredly. Hermione didn't answer, knowing that he would open his eyes at her lack of a response. After a couple seconds, he did. "'Mione- What is it? What's wro-"

Hermione didn't let him finish. Unlike that time after Slughorn's party when she tried shutting him up, this time she managed not to attack him. This time, she eased in and gently settled her lips against his. Reveling in the softness of his lips, once again. While they kissed a lot, Hermione never lost this feeling. As if she was kissing him for the first time.

Hermione didn't pull away, expecting Draco to respond and deepen it. It took a couple awkward moments of her lips pressed against his with him unmoving, before he caught on that it would be a good idea to kiss her back.

She moaned softly when his tongue swept against hers and she moved her hand up into his hair. Noticing that it wasn't just shaggy, but was so thick she wasn't afraid to give it a little pull. His reaction, his groan, hit her like a lightening bolt and spread throughout her entire body. Even her toes were tingling.

She was in a state of shock, when her body moved out of her accord and she was soon straddling him, with her hands on his chest and looking down into his wide silver eyes. It seemed she hadn't only surprised herself. Leaning down she took his mouth again, she hadn't ever felt this way. Any and all fears took a backseat for the moment as she delighted in the way his finger skimmed along her back before he took a strong grip on her hips.

By the way he held her, she could tell he was holding back and once again she pulled back to look at them. "Happy birthday, Draco." She told him, her voice almost unrecognizable and breathy. She sounded exactly like those fifth years she caught snogging in a corner of the second floor just the other day.

Very gently she moved her hips against him, gasping when she felt something against her thigh... She looked down, gulping slightly. Okay, now... now she was apprehensive on just what she was doing. She wanted Draco's birthday to be special, but she was so unsure... She didn't want to think about _that_ night, when she finally gave herself to him... She really didn't want to. That hardness against her thigh, wasn't giving her any other choice though.

She heard the hitch in his breath, but she dare not look at him now. "What are you doing, Hermione?" he asked, his fingers still pressing hard into her hips.

She was quiet for a long moment, a large battle taking place inside her head. "Trying to give you your b-birthday present..." she clamped her mouth shut as she stumbled over her words. Knowing that even as she was being put through her past turmoil once again, she wasn't going to stop this.

"Oh, 'Mione..." Draco sighed and she felt his arms wrap around her before he sat up. Situating her on his thighs, almost on his knees to which she was most grateful. "As much as that sounds like one splendid birthday present... No."

"What?" Hermione looked up, her eyes wide. But, at least her brain registered his face, and the one she had nightmares over for months, faded. "What? Why?"

He actually smiled. He was rejecting her for the second time and he had the nerve, the moxie, the very gall to smile? Her jaw locked tightly when he raised his hand to touch her cheek, his caress so gently and soft that her muscles relaxed instantly. The traitorous tendons!

"Hermione... Not only am I completely uncomfortable with the fact Ellery is just a couple feet away..." he informed her with a raised eyebrow. She couldn't help looking utterly sheepish, that _had_ been a bit of a worry. What if something happened, Ellery had woken up, and turned her little head to see through the rods of her crib... What if they had scarred her for life? Not only that, but it _was_ completely indecent. His expression then lightened, relaxed until his smile looked almost lazy and sad. Only the sad bit was a little more prominent. "But, love- You aren't ready. And I'm not going to take advantage of you like that and ruin what we got..."

Hermione almost felt close to tears. Draco Malfoy was usually a complete ass. Anyone could tell you that, but only with her did he ever manage to be actually sweet. Completely sweet in fact. He could be nice, but he was never sweet with anyone but her. And Ellery, too, of course!

"And I fucking love what we got," he added, kissing the tip of her nose.

Hermione laughed and wiped away the stray tear that managed to escape. "You're really okay with just snogging?"

He smirked. "Of course, I am. I'm not exactly ready for sex either," Hermione's eyes almost popped out of her head, remembering what he had told her abut Greyback... What he could anyway, since most of it was obliviated.

"I'm sorry-" she started, stopping when he looked at her disapprovingly.

"I know you have a present stashed away somewhere," he told her, offhandedly, switching the topic of conversation. And she knew he was probably a little annoyed that she had, in fact, bought him something. "Why don't you go get it?"

Hermione smiled, leaning down and placing a lingering kiss on his lips, before she hopped out of bed and ran into the bathroom. Kneeling down in the corner beside the bathtub she removed a piece of stone from the wall, revealing a small hole, but big enough to fit a humble sized box.

Hermione stepped out of the bathroom to see Draco up and gathering a crying Ellery from her crib. Their daughter's wails ceasing the moment she was snuggled in her fathers embrace. Hermione grinned and settled back on the bed, while Draco made his way over. He set Ellery down on her tummy lightly between them, both of them watching as she pushed her head up and looked at them with a small wobble on her lips.

Before handing Draco his small present (wrapped in a light blue wrapping paper with bright red present all over it), she leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Ellery's head.

"Time to give daddy his present," she said, her voice naturally adopting a baby friendly tone.

She matched Draco's laugh, as Ellery made some unintelligible sound and then ruffled her face against the sheets.

"I think that was a laugh," Hermione stated, her voice a jingle of laughter and astonishment. She picked Ellery up and blew a raspberry on her cheek. "Was that a laugh, sweetheart?" she cooed, looking to Draco, only to find him gazing at them both with a smile that nearly surprised her as much as Ellery's near-laugh.

She had never seen him look so blissfully and unmistakably happy. It was a different happiness that shined in his eyes. A different bliss. It was beatific and rapturous. Something a normal person outside of their family would never associate with Draco Malfoy. And possibly something Draco would never show the others.

"I love you," he told her.

Hermione smiled dreamily and very Luna-like. She would never tire of that little declaration. "I love you too," she told him. "Now open your present!" she laughed when Ellery squealed in agreement. As if she knew what was going on around her.

Draco rolled his eyes, but the smile still played on his lips. She knew he was trying like hell to get rid of it. He surveyed the box as if it was a bomb or a Weasley product, that could be much more disastrous. When he finally tore the wrapping off and was left with only a rather plain and ordinary jewelry box, she bit her lip nervously.

He looked at her curiously, but she could only await anxiously while he slowly lifted the top. She almost closed her eyes, but discovered that his reaction was too good to miss.

Draco's eyes widened, his smile gone and his lips in a tight line. She was almost scared for a moment, as he took out the piece.

Inside the box had been a watch. Hermione had found this watch in a catalog inside Ginny's book bag when the redhead had asked her to grab a quill one day. It was, in truth, rather simple. Although goblin-made. The band was black dragon hide, the case silver... It was the face of the watch that stuck out. A picture of her and Ellery, brought to life by magical means. Hermione was beaming and waving, as Ellery yawned in her arms, ready for sleep. The picture had only been taken yesterday when Remus and Tonks had come to visit and her arms were free to wrap it up.

Draco stared at the watch for a long time. She noticed his eyes glistening, but not one drop fell. "Draco? If you don't like it-"

"What?" his head snapped up. "Are you mental? I love it..." he said, glancing back to the watch with a fond smile. "No one's ever given me something like this before," he told her and she noticed how he shook his head to deliberately make his bangs fall into his eyes. "I love it," he repeated once again. "Thank you, the both of you."

Hermione smiled when he wrapped his arm about her shoulders, kissing her lips before he bent low to kiss Ellery's forehead.

"Happy Birthday, Draco."

_**/-/-/-/**_

As the day progressed; classes passed and dinner was finally over. Hermione was left to return to her room in the hospital wing with only the girls. Apparently the boys had some birthday traditions (ones they decided to start now) and if Hermione knew the boys as she did... It most definitely involved firewhiskey. She tsked disapprovingly, but was glad that Blaise and Theo had included Neville and Harry in the celebrations.

It was quite odd how good Draco and Harry were getting along. They weren't best friends, that was for sure. Nor was Hermione naive enough to think they would ever be. But while they insulted each other heartily every chance they got, Hermione was aware that they were bordering friendly lines and remained relatively civil. That morning, roughly a month ago, had clearly broken a large piece of the ice.

It was getting quite late when Pansy, Ginny, and Luna left. Midnight having passed. Ellery was now asleep and Hermione was sitting up in bed perilously trying to keep her eyes open. It was of no use though, because she fell asleep the moment her eyes shut on the thought she was just going to rest them for a little while.

Hermione's brow crinkled when she heard murmuring. Soft, but happy murmuring. "Draco?" she murmured, looking to the clock briefly and having to squint to make out the numerals, her vision too blurry at just waking. She about rolled her eyes and turned around to go back to sleep. She had been asleep for only an hour. It was now two-ten in the bloody morning. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

She asked him, sitting up in bed. But it wasn't Draco who she thought was talking so quietly animated. It wasn't Draco who was hovering over the crib. It was not Draco who was now smiling at her wretchedly, as if Christmas morning had come. Hermione couldn't scream, she couldn't move. She was completely frozen with terror.

"Hello, _lover_."

**TBC**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** I've finally managed to write something up. However, it turned out to be the ending chapter. I had intended for there to be at least three to five more chapters for this, but every time I tried to write something, it turned to shit. Sorry for the French. I'm also terribly sorry for leaving you all high and dry for over eight months. All I can say was that life got hard. Really hard. I won't go into details, but lets just say depression, guy troubles, and loosing a beloved grandparent can definitely make a person feel less than hunky-dory.

I was very determined to finish this, though. And I hope you do enjoy this, even if it feels rushed. I had left you all with a big cliffhanger and then there's this. I just hope you don't all hate me for ending it so soon.

Try to enjoy. Love,  
Havenly

**Chapter 28**

_September 1st, 2013_

Hermione came awake with a start. A light sheen of sweat had formed over her skin and her pajamas clung to her uncomfortably. She gave herself a moment to collect herself, calming down her erratic breathing. She tried not to move, feeling Draco's arm around her, holding her close as he slept. The presence of her husband calmed her considerably and Hermione snuggled back into his brilliant warmth.

Sixteen years had come and gone since the night the Death Eaters attacked the school. She didn't remember much from those horrible two hours, but now and again her dreams would turn into nightmares with flashes of what happened. However, the moment she woke up any memory of it vanished.

What Hermione did remember was agreeing to let Professor Snape obliviate her. Everything else that had happened not concerning her had been filled in by her friends. The battle had left many injured on the side of Light, and a few dead on the Dark. While she didn't remember it herself, Hermione had been told she had been the one to kill Dolohov. And not with any spell, but with the remains of her snapped wand plunged into his neck. Gibbon, another Death Eater, had been killed by one of his own accidentally.

Those who were injured were immediately taken to the Hospital Wing. Professor Dumbledore, however, had to be taken to St. Mungo's, the extinct of his injuries far surpassed anything Madam Pomfrey could do for him. And poor Bill Weasley... His life was changed forever, but the damage wasn't as severe as everyone thought. Everyone else had much more minor injuries. A scratch here and a bruise there, maybe a broken bone or two.

That mere battle had changed a lot of the student's views. And at the end of the school year, Hermione had many of her old friends back. Maybe they weren't close, but they weren't calling her names. Except, Ron. Even while his family accepted her, he never managed to. There was a pang in her heart every time she thought about it, but there was nothing she could do to change his mind.

Over the years many things had happened. With Harry, Ron, and Neville disappearing for there seventh year, Hermione had delved right back into her studies, constantly worried and with a baby on her hip and a ring on her finger. That ring was the one thing that saved her from the dreaded Muggle-born Registration Law that had suddenly popped up. And while many Auror's had been sent to Hogwarts to pick up unregistered Muggle-born student's, both Dumbledore and Hogwarts protected them all.

That October had brought a little bit joy into such a dark time. Jasper Severo Zabini had been born healthy and strong. His father had passed out from all the excitement, but both Blaise and Pansy had been beyond happy when their son was finally in their arms. Hermione had been made godmother and much to Draco's disapproval, Theo was the godfather.

That had been the last happy moment until May 2nd, 1998 when the Light side came out the victor in the war and Voldemort was once and for all destroyed. Even then, however, happy wasn't the right word for it. Too many people had lost their lives for it to have been a happy moment. Relieved, was a better term. And 'sadness' quickly followed.

Hermione hadn't participated in the battle. As much as she wanted to, Draco had made a rather good point when he had thrust Ellery into her arms. That was all it had taken for her to comply, accompanying Pansy to Number 12 Grimmauld Place where they sat and fidgeted for was seemed like days, but were merely hours.

It had been such a relief when the fireplace turned green and Draco (along with Blaise) came through the floo. The news they brought with them, brought on a cluster of emotions.

Remus and Tonk had died. Fred, too. Lavender was in St. Mungo's, having been attacked by Greyback and Professor Snape... Draco didn't think he would make it. Apparently, he'd been bitten by Voldemort's snake and had half of his neck torn out in the process. The venom alone was a cause for worry coming from such a large reptile, but the blood loss added on the likely hood that the man who had risked his life and exposed himself as a spy to save the them, wouldn't live through the night.

Severus Snape's death had hit Hermione and her Slytherin's especially hard. But, their pain was no where near that of Professor McGonagall's. It was surprising and most definitely heart wrenching to find Professor Snape had been McGonagall's son. It was at his funeral that the witch made it public knowledge. After Harry's eulogy, McGonagall had stood up and told her story. Certain things had been left out, of course, but she made it known that her biggest mistake in life was giving Severus up and allowing Eileen Prince to raise him. Eileen had been McGonagall's friend in school, she had trusted her to raise Severus right. That had been her second mistake. Trusting a woman who allowed her boyfriend to beat her when he was drunk? That was just poor judgment on her part. She expressed her love for Severus after that and her self-hatred for never telling him who she was. That had been the saddest day since the last battle in Hermione's book.

After that, though, things seemed to get better. Slowly, but surely.

Hermione and Draco didn't get married right away, instead they waited a couple years. With Lucius in Azkaban, Malfoy Manor and his families fortune was now Draco's. And he, with advise from Hermione and a portrait of his mother, sold the Manor. Only to downsize in Scotland. However downsizing for Draco meant four bedrooms, along with a study, four bathrooms, a kitchen much too large, and a ballroom. They had to entertain guests, didn't they? Hermione didn't completely understand it's necessity, they could have friends over without a ballroom, but she didn't argue.

While her and Draco waited to wed, Blaise and Pansy had married a year after they graduated Hogwarts. And a year after that they welcomed another bundle of joy, Freya Elizabeth Zabini.

Neville and Luna hadn't married, but their commitment to one another was astonishing. If it weren't for the lack of rings, anyone would think they were a loving married couple.

Ginny and Theo were on and off for a couple years. But then they married the same year Ginny gave birth to their twin boys, Arthur and Darcy. That same year Hermione gave birth to a son, Warren Theodore Malfoy. She finally married Draco when Warren was only four months old. Surround by her friends and family. Which included Harry and the Weasley, but excluded Ron.

Harry had married Daphne and 2002 had welcomed not only two Nott's and a Malfoy, but a Potter as well. Lily Eleanor.

Years went on and her friends lived happy lives with good jobs and exuberant children. Hermione, herself, had a great job working at the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She had started in the Being Division, but after she'd established better treatment and conditions for House Elves, she'd moved onto the Beast Division to better the lives of Werewolves. Only to return to the Being Division when she had finally, after a lot of hard work and many arguments, gotten Werewolves to be seen as people, since they lived much of their lives human, aside from one night out of the month. Therefore, they were not to be cataloged as a beast any longer.

Draco also went to work for the ministry, but he didn't follow into his father's footsteps. Instead, Draco proudly called himself an Auror. Just as Theo, Blaise and Harry had. And all four of them worked exceedingly hard to bring in those who were evil and dark.

Hermione smiled and turned around to face her husband, watching his face as he frowned at the movement, feeling his arms tighten around her. She lifted a hand to his face and gently trailed a cut he procured from his latest Auror mission. A small gash on his left cheekbone, it was the only blemish on his perfect face.

"That hurts you know."

His voice made her jump, but she could only smile when he opened his eyes and brown met silver. She flattened her palm against his cheek, her thumb brushing back and forth.

"I'm sorry, love."

"Hmm, you could always make it up to me," Draco waggled his eyebrows, making her laugh and quickly shutting her up with a kiss.

"Draco!" she pulled away. "I haven't brushed my teeth, yet."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Hermione, we've been married eleven years and been together longer than that. Do you really think I care if your breath smells like Crooks' litter box?"

Hermione slapped a hand over her mouth, horrified. "Draco Malfoy! Oh, I can't believe you-" she said, throwing the covers off, but before she could get out of bed, her husband pulled her back and trapped her beneath him.

"Calm down, witch," he chuckled, smirking down at her as he nestled himself between her thighs, his hands pinning her own at either side of her head. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, only Hermione's lips were shut tight in a firm line. "Come on, love..." he said, trailing kisses along her jaw.

Nope, she was not going to allow him to do this. She would not- Oh! His lips were on her neck and his tongue traced over that oh-so sensitive spot... _No! Hermione, he may be your husband, but you will not allow him to have his way. You will not._ She told herself. Just as long as he didn't-

_Damn._

Draco gently moved his hips against her, bringing her aware of his morning arousal. Grinding against her just right that she couldn't help the gasp that left her mouth. Before she could do anything, he dove in. Capturing her lips in a searing hot kiss that made her toes tingle and her back arch. And maybe it wasn't just the kiss that got such a reaction, but Draco's hips had taken on a steady rhythm that made Hermione want to tear his clothes off, so there was nothing keeping them apart.

And she would have. If their bedroom door hadn't opened and the hall light hadn't poured in, making them both look up.

"Dad, what are you doing to mummy?" the little voice of their youngest son asked.

Hermione pushed Draco off of her, trying to catch her bearings and keep her voice controlled, however, it was rather hard as Draco had gotten her quite worked up and she was breathing as if she'd just run around a Quidditch pitch.

"Daddy was just telling me good morning, sweetheart," she said in a rush, standing up and shooting Draco a look when he chuckled. "Leo, why don't you go wake Warren and your sister," she asked, leaving a kiss on top of her seven year old's head. "And I'll make breakfast."

"Will you make chocolate chip pancakes?"

"Of course," said Hermione, even though the thought made her stomach roll.

"And ice cream later today?"

"Yes, Leo."

"Can I get a broom?"

"Leo, let your mother breathe, she just got up," Draco said, finally getting out of bed. "Go wake Ellery and Warren. They need to start getting ready," when their son didn't move from the doorway, Draco sighed. "You can jump on their beds, if you must."

"Yay!" Getting what he wanted, Leo finally scampered off, waving his teddy dragon over his head as he tore through one of the doors down the hall.

Hermione and Draco listened fondly from the hallway as their daughter shrieked and their youngest giggled madly.

_**/-/-/-/**_

"Uncle Theo!"

"Leo Fitzwilliam Malfoy!" Hermione screeched when her sons hand left her own and he disappeared into the crowded Platform 9 ¾. She instantly regretted not leaving him with Molly or Andromeda, she should have known she'd eventually lose him in the throng of people and her heart plummeted.

"He's just there, mum," Ellery pointed out, her hair just as untamed as Hermione's had once been, as she gestered to her Uncle Theo who had Leo in his arms and was talking adamantly with him. Hermione easily recognized the Nott's and the tightness in her heart eased.

Theo had always been rather handsome to Hermione and if she were truthful, he'd grown even more so with age. No wonder Ginny was five months along with their sixth child. Ginny, well she looked beautiful, as always. Maybe a little tired, but really, she was pregnant, with two eleven year old's, a seven year old, a four year old, _and_ a two year old.

"You do not run away from me when we are here, Leo Malfoy," Hermione admonished. "Hello, dear," she said, giving Theo a kiss on the cheek and her son a stern look.

"Sis," Theo replied, returning the kiss and then setting Leo down. "I was just telling Lee here, that the girls were with Gran Weasley."

"Thank god," Ginny said with a hand to her stomach. "I love them to bits, but Carson's been spending way too much time with George and Gretta's started to think she's a snake, slithering off and hiding. And Kyleigh's two," she said as if that explained it all.

"Hey, mum?" Hermione looked to Ellery, a little surprised she'd interrupted them. "I see a couple of my friends... Could you watch my trolley? I'll be right back." Hermione nodded and shared a looked with Ginny when the two noticed Ellery jumping into the arms of a dark skinned boy with jet black hair. Hermione was just glad Draco was otherwise preoccupied to notice.

_**/-/-/-/**_

"Seen Blaise, yet," Draco asked Theo and took hold of his seven year old's hand so he would run off, when he noticed Hermione and Ginny starting to talk. He smiled a bit as he noticed Warren and the twins talking excitedly about what house they would be in. Ellery was in Gryffindor, and he had a feeling Warren would be in Ravenclaw. He was too studious and serious about the curriculum to be in any other house.

"My ears are bleeding," said a humorous voice, and Draco turned to give Blaise a pat on the back and Pansy a hug before she joined Hermione and Ginny.

Draco noticed Freya following her mother and he instantly wondered where Blaise and Pansy's oldest had wondered off to. "Where's Jasper at," he asked and looked around.

"Don't know," answered Blaise. "He ran off, said something about meeting a couple of friends..."

As Blaise spoke, Draco's eyes landed on a young couple in a tight embrace, kissing as if they hadn't seen each other in years. It took him a moment to realize the girl had the same color and consistency of his wife's hair. And that the boy was very much a replica of his father, only with his mother's eyes.

_Oh, bloody hell no._

"Ouch, dad," Leo whined, his face scrunched in pain as he tried to wiggle his hand out of his father's.

Draco let go of his son and took a step forward with every intention of beating Jasper Zabini to fucking pulp, but he was intercepted by a pair of small hands pushing on his chest and large brown eyes staring up at him. "Draco, no."

"How long?"

"A year, darling."

"A year?"

"Yes," Hermione said, with an apologetic look.

Just then Harry Potter walked up with his wife, two children, and godson. He looked between Draco and the sight of two Hogwarts students in a pretty heavy make-out session and cringed. "So, he's found out, then?"

Draco growled. "Potter knew?" he hissed. While him and Harry were Auror partners, it still grated at him that the other man knew about his daughter's relationship before him.

Theo snorted at that. "Mate, we all knew. You're just blind as a bat."

Draco looked at all of his friends with an incredulous look on his face, before his lips set in a pout.

"Want me to beat him up for you, dad?" Warren asked, coming over and pulling his sleeves up to his elbows, popping his fingers with a glare on his face.

So, maybe Warren _would_ be a Gryffindor.

Sighing, Draco shook his head and managed a smile. "No, not now. Maybe later, though?"

"Okay," Warren shrugged and then looked over at Lily Potter. "Hey, Lils," he said, squaring his shoulders with the Malfoy smirk on his face.

_Oh, shit._

_**/-/-/-/**_

Draco and Hermione had given Warren goodbye's, with Hermione making him promise to owl them no later than tomorrow morning with what he thought about Hogwarts and what house he was sorted in. He had to pull Hermione away when she started plastering their son's face with kisses.

After that Draco had found Ellery waiting for him just as the train was about to set off. Hermione had already said goodbye, but Draco had purposefully ignored his daughter. He'd seen the flash of hurt across her face, but at that moment, he hadn't cared.

Now, though, while Hermione was off with Leo waving to Warren, he looked at his daughter standing there. The only student not on the Hogwart's Express and he opened his arms to her. Ellery ran into them, nearly knocking him over.

"I'm sorry, Elle," he told her, kissing the top of her head, that was just below his chin now.

"Are you mad at me, daddy?" she asked looking up at him with her large brown eyes, just a shade darker than her mothers were.

"Never, love," he shook his head, smiling at her, but no sooner was his expression serious. "He better treat you right."

Ellery laughed and gave him a squeeze. "He does."

"You tell him I'll kill him if he ever hurts you. He's a Slytherin, he knows I'm capable."

"Dad..." she rolled her eyes.

"Fine," Draco looked over the top of her head, noticing that the train was starting to move. "Tell him he's invited to dinner over the Christmas break. If you're dating, I'm going to have a sit down and talk with him," when Ellery started to protest, Draco gave her a look. "No buts. Now, you better get a move on, before you miss the train."

Ellery sighed and gave him one last squeeze. "Love you."

"Love you too," he replied and watched her run off to jump on the train before it could leave her behind. He saw both Jasper and Teddy Lupin help her on and then, she was gone.

Draco sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets as he watched the train depart. He felt Hermione's arm link with his own and they both watched until the Hogwart's Express disappeared. He knew he could never truly like Jasper Zabini, now. No one would ever be good enough for his daughter. But if Zabini made Ellery happy, he was happy. At least, he would try to be.

"You okay?" Hermione asked him.

He shrugged. "Okay as I'll ever be, I guess. Little pissed at you, though," he said, giving her a smile, and she pecked his cheek.

"Can we go get ice cream now?" Leo asked from his perch, beside his mother, pulling on her hand to get them going.

Hermione nodded. "But, we have to stop by St. Mungo's first."

"Why?" Draco frowned.

"I wanna see Luna and the girls," Hermione said, but Draco could tell there was something else going on.

"You can see them when they get home, Hermione."

"I know, but after I see her and the twins I need to check on my test results," she replied in a matter-of-fact way.

_Test results? What test results?_

Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop. "Test results for what, Hermione?" he asked in concern, his heart dropping with all the possibilities his mind conjured. "Are you all right?" He couldn't help looking her over, from head to toe. Was she sick? She didn't look sick.

Hermione placed her hand on the side of his face, and he leaned into the warmth, but his eyes latched onto hers, begging for some answers. "Draco, we're going to be in the maternity ward. What test result do you possibly think I could get from there?"

It took him a moment to realize what she was saying and his eyes trailed down to rest on her stomach. He pulled her closer and swallowed. "Really?" he asked, looking back up, but he couldn't keep his eyes off her flat belly for long.

"I'm thinking Henry for a boy and Stella if it's a- umph!" Hermione's smirk was wiped clean, as Draco's mouth plundered hers. He couldn't help it. They already had three children, and after Leo was born they'd tried for a forth. With no luck after five years, they'd stopped.

"Are you sure?" he asked pulling away to look at her flushed face and puffy lips.

"Molly already confirmed it, but she made me go to the doctor anyway," Hermione actually got the sentence out, before Draco, once again, latched onto her lips and they kissed feverishly. Momentarily unaware of the seven year they had as an audience.

Leo had his hands over his eyes, grimacing when he peaked through his fingers and saw his parents once again kissing. "Gross. You could really stop saying good morning to mum, you know?"

**The End.**

**A/N:** Did it suck? I know I enjoyed writing it, but once I read it over I found it was crap. Oh, well. I tried. 

Also, this chapter was set in 2013, so I thought I'd post the kids and ages here, if the chapter was too confusing to track it.

Draco and Hermione:  
Ellery Charlotte (16; May 4th, 1997)  
Warren Theodore (11; August 6th, 2002)  
Leo Fitzwilliam (7; November 12, 2006)

Blaise and Pansy:  
Jasper Severo (15; October 31st, 1997)  
Freya Elizabeth (13; April 3rd, 2000)

Theo and Ginny:  
Arthur and Darcy (twin boys; 11; May 22nd, 2002)  
Carson (7; September 4th, 2006)  
Gretta (4; January 18th, 2009)  
Kyleigh (2; August 1st, 2011)

Harry and Daphne:  
Lily Eleanor (11; February 15th, 2002)  
James Sirius (8; December 2nd, 2005)  
Teddy Lupin (15; April 20th, 1998) might as well be Harry and Daphne's.

Neville and Luna:  
Frankie and Alice (twin girls; newborns; August 28th, 2013).

Also, what wasn't in the story. Ron had married Eloise Midgen and they had two children Hugo (9) and Rose (7).


End file.
